The unique Clam Procession Festival of the Thanh Liệt fishing village residents on the Lam River.

Every year, on the 6th day of the 2nd lunar month, the fishermen of Thanh Liet village, who live and work throughout the country, return to their homeland to attend the village festival. The festival officially opens early in the morning with a procession of palanquins on land, starting from the village's sacred temple to the alluvial plain along the Lam River. Afterwards, the procession continues with a water procession on the river using a large fleet of boats belonging to the fishermen, connected in a long line, decorated with colorful flags and flowers, along with ceremonial objects and offerings.

Leading the procession is the main boat, carrying an altar to the water god and the village elders. Following are boats carrying palanquins dedicated to various deities such as Nguyen Bieu, the King of the Water Kingdom, the Heavenly King, Sat Hai Dai Vuong Hoang Ta Thon, Son Lieu Doc Cuoc, and Mau Lieu Hanh… At the end of the procession are boats from the fishing villages of Thanh Liet, Vung Ha, Phu Long, and Phu Thach in Hung Nguyen Nam commune (Nghe An province) and Duc Minh commune (Ha Tinh province).

After disembarking from the boat, the procession travels up and down the Lam River, heading west (towards the "Upper Region") to hold a ceremony lasting about two hours, then returning to the "Lower Region". The climax of the procession is the ritual offering to the water god at the confluence of the Lam River - the point where the Lam River (Nghe An) and the La River (Ha Tinh) meet, also known as "Bai Phu". Here, a unique collective spirit possession takes place, imbued with mystical spiritual significance, with the wish for favorable weather, abundant harvests of shrimp and fish for fishermen, and the flourishing of shellfish.

After the shaman recited the incantation, the sound of gongs and drums filled the air. The shaman – an elder in the village believed to be a medium – performed the ritual, holding a long knife about 80 cm long, cutting his tongue and spitting blood onto prepared sheets of paper. These sheets were then distributed to the people as amulets, conveying wishes for a prosperous year and abundant catches of shrimp and fish. Throughout the ceremony, two dragon boats circled the procession, each piloted by 12 unmarried men and 12 unmarried women, rowing and singing call-and-response folk songs – characteristic melodies of Nghe An province.

The sacrificial ceremony is held twice, lasting from 5 to 6 hours, concluding with the procession of the deity's palanquin back to the temple, the installation ceremony, and the grand sacrifice. After the ceremony, people gather at the alluvial plain along the Lam River to participate in the festival with many folk games reflecting the unique character of the river, such as: boat racing, prize snatching, clam digging, clam diving, and rowing races… Among these, the most attractive and lively activity is the boat race on the Lam River.

The racing boats are mainly traditional clam-dredging or fishing boats, decorated with flags and flowers. Each festival usually features eight boats participating, including four racing boats and four ceremonial boats. The racing boats are large, long-hulled boats decorated with dragon motifs, with ceremonial flags flying at the bow, and can accommodate about 12 oarsmen and a person at the bow who acts as a commander, beating drums and giving commands. The ceremonial boats are smaller, usually used daily by households, carrying women who row alongside the racing boats to sing folk songs and encourage the participants. The prize for the race is a symbolic marker; the boat that wins the marker is considered to bring good luck to the entire village for that year.

The Thanh Liet Temple Festival is a typical folk festival, deeply rooted in the culture of the riverine inhabitants of the lower Lam River basin. The festival not only preserves the belief in worshipping the water deity but also reflects the professional mindset and spiritual life of the fishing community. It is also one of the few traditional festivals in Nghe An that has relatively intact its ancient rituals, largely unaffected by administrative processes or the influx of foreign elements that have altered the ceremonies.

Through festivals, the spirit of community cohesion is fostered, contributing to maintaining the stability of villages, regulating individual behavior, and strengthening community relationships within the traditional cultural space.

With these outstanding values, the Thanh Liet Temple Festival has been included in the National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage by the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism according to Decision No. 3609/QD-BVHTTDL dated September 27, 2018.