Pho festival finishes
The three‑day Pho Festival 2026 in Ninh Binh just wrapped, celebrating both traditional and creative approaches to Vietnam’s signature pho and positioning the dish for broader heritage promotion. Organizers say the event will influence future efforts to preserve and innovate Vietnamese street‑food culture abroad. ( )
Around 50 pho brands from across Vietnam took part in the Ninh Bình event, bringing booths and menus representing northern, central and southern styles. (english.thesaigontimes.vn) The programme ran at two main sites — Phố đi bộ Thiên Trường (Thống Nhất urban area) and Vân Cù village (Nam Đồng commune) — and was scheduled for March 19–22, 2026. (hoanhap.vn) Organisers held the formal opening ceremony on March 20 while many experiential activities and vendor operations began on March 19. (en.baoninhbinh.org.vn) The festival carried the official theme “Phở Việt – Di sản sống trong lòng thời đại” and organisers said they planned to use event documentation as practical evidence for a dossier seeking UNESCO intangible cultural heritage recognition for phở. (baolangson.vn) On the programming side, the schedule listed live pho demonstrations, chef workshops and a tribute programme titled “Về với đình làng Vân Cù – Mở trang di sản” intended to highlight local origins of the craft. (kyluc.vn) The Ninh Bình Culinary Culture Association coordinated the festival with provincial departments under a UBND directive, and organisers stated the Pho Festival — held annually since 2024 — aims to link pho promotion with local tourism and heritage narratives. (hoanhap.vn)
