The festival will take place at APEC Park and Ngoc Linh ginseng and medicinal herb cultivation areas in Tra Linh, Nam Tra My, Tra Van, Ben Hien, Tra Leng, and Tra Tap communes.
Speaking at the press conference on the International Ngoc Linh Ginseng and Medicinal Herbs Festival held on July 17, the organizer said that the story of Ngoc Linh ginseng, Vietnam's national treasure, will be told in a new way at an international festival. It will feature 10 cultural, scientific, investment promotion, trade, tourism, and experiential activities.
The festival is expected to host around 60 exhibition booths from localities, businesses, and organizations from Vietnam and abroad, showcasing Ngoc Linh ginseng, other ginseng varieties and medicinal herbs, as well as products developed for pharmaceuticals, healthcare, food, cosmetics, and processing technologies.
The festival series will begin with the Ngoc Linh Ginseng Deity Worship Ceremony and the Second Ngoc Linh Ginseng Seedling Donation Program 2026 on July 31 at the Ngoc Linh Ginseng Temple in Kon Pin Village, Tra Linh Commune. The ceremony will recreate the Xe Dang ethnic group's traditional ginseng deity worship ritual, accompanied by gong performances, the raising of a neu (ceremonial bamboo pole), and the presentation of Ngoc Linh ginseng seedlings to disadvantaged households.
The opening ceremony will take place on the evening of August 1 in downtown Da Nang, featuring an artistic performance that tells the story of Ngoc Linh ginseng while blending the cultural heritage of the Ca Dong, Xe Dang, Bh'noong, and Co Tu ethnic groups with contemporary music and advanced stage technology.
A highlight of the festival will be the Ngoc Linh Ginseng Honor Day, featuring a competition for Ngoc Linh ginseng plants in different age categories, followed by an auction of the award-winning specimens. Proceeds from the auction will be used to conserve Ngoc Linh ginseng-growing areas, support community development, and provide scholarships for students in mountainous regions.
On August 3, the "Ngoc Linh Ginseng – Vietnamese Ginseng Day" program will be held, with the aim of becoming an annual event celebrating and promoting the value of Vietnam's prized ginseng. The festival will also feature an international scientific conference on Ngoc Linh ginseng and medicinal herbs, the "Flavors of the Great Forest" culinary space, a ginseng market, and experiential tours of Ngoc Linh ginseng cultivation areas.
A key feature of the festival is its integration of downtown Da Nang with the Ngoc Linh ginseng-growing region, linking the three pillars of conservation, development, and visitor experience. Through this approach, the festival presents a comprehensive story of Ngoc Linh ginseng, from indigenous knowledge and scientific research to processing, commercialization, and the aspiration to bring Vietnam's treasured medicinal herb to international markets.
