Music, horse racing and food will all be featured at the Bac Ha Winter Festival from November 20-22 as the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai attempts to attract tourists back to the district.

A horse race in Bac Ha district

"We will be holding horse races in Na Hoi commune at the stadium in Bac Ha district," said Hoang Van Khoa, vice chairman of the district's People's Committee. 

Na Hoi is home to the famous stables that bred the winner of the annual Bac Ha Horse Racing Festival held in May this year. 

Adding to the race, a food festival will take place with cooks vying for the best "Bac Ha Food Tray", a chance to highlight local delicacies from the mountainous district.

The event will also include the ethnic Mong Panpipe Festival for the first time.

Bac Ha is home to 14 ethnic groups. The Mong account for 47% of the 62,000 people who live in the district, and they mainly live on the mountainsides making a living from growing maize and rice on the rocky cliff ledges. 

During French colonial times, Lord Hoang A Tuong of the Mong in Bac Ha built a French-styled mansion in the town. Today, it is a tourist destination. 

Other activities will include a street parade, night market, flower valley and homestay tours. 

The festival is part of the district's People's Committee's efforts to attract visitors after the COVID-19 pandemic, which cut off all international visitors earlier this year.