Gia Lai hosts a major cultural festival featuring over 1,400 artisans across 11 localities. The event will take place from October 30 to November 8, drawing 1,487 artisans from 11 provinces and cities. Highlights include ethnic music and instrument performances, the reenactment of the new communal house celebration, the "Gia Lai Gong Cultural Space" exhibition, a street festival, a gong night art program, traditional ethnic cultural exchanges, and a market introducing local products.
The Cultural Space of Gong Culture in the Central Highlands was inscribed by UNESCO as a Representative Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity on November 25, 2005. Gia Lai is home to a large population of Bahnar and Jrai people, who are key custodians of this heritage.
The Wild Sunflower - Chu Dang Ya Volcano Week will take place in the area of Ia Gri Village - Chu Dang Ya Volcano, Bien Ho Commune, promoting the beauty of wild sunflowers associated with this scenic landmark. Chu Dang Ya was voted among Vietnam's top 10 most attractive destinations and the world's top 10 most beautiful craters in 2018.
Speaking at the event, Vice Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Thanh Lich of the Gia Lai Province People's Committee highlighted key features and new elements of the Gong Festival - Wild Sunflower - Chu Dang Ya Volcano Week 2026. She emphasized that during preparations, the province pays special attention to preserving and promoting gong cultural values, ensuring harmony between heritage preservation and tourism development.
According to the Vice Chairwoman of the Gia Lai Province People's Committee, it is necessary to distinguish between gong music and the gong cultural space. Gong music undergoes exchange and acculturation during cultural development, whereas the Cultural Space of Gong Culture in the Central Highlands is a UNESCO-inscribed heritage closely tied to community life and traditional values.
Gia Lai holds a distinct advantage with the unique values of its gong heritage, including a gong set recognized as a national treasure. This serves as a foundation for the Province to continue preserving and promoting heritage, enhancing its local image, and developing sustainable tourism.
Gong Festival – Wild Sunflower Week – Chu Dang Ya Volcano Festival features the following events:
- Opening ceremony of the festival series, from October 30 to November 1, in Bien Ho Commune and the Chu Dang Ya Volcano area.
- Street Festival, on November 6, in Pleiku, Dien Hong, and Hoi Phu wards.
- Gong Cultural Night, at 8:00 p.m. on November 7, in Pleiku Ward.
- Traditional Ethnic Cultural Exchange Program, from November 6 to 8, in Pleiku Ward.
- Gia Lai Culinary Showcase, tourism product exhibition, and introduction to traditional cultural heritage, from November 6 to 8, in Pleiku Ward.
- Exhibition of Signature Agricultural Products and a tribute to Gia Lai coffee, from November 6 to 8, in Pleiku Ward.
- Exhibition of Traditional Ethnic Cultural Artifacts, from November 6 to 8, in Pleiku Ward.
- Photo and Video Contest themed around the festival series, running from October through the end of December 2026.
