Ooc Om Bok festival
Also called the Moon Worship festival, Ooc Om Bok is one of the liveliest festivals in the Khmer calendar.
After the harvest, Khmer people in the Mekong Delta use this opportunity to thank the moon goddess for fruitful crops and prosperity, as well as to celebrate the end of the Khmer calendar. A series of cultural activities, such as traditional art performances, a dance festival, a lantern-release ceremony, and folk sport and games are organized during the festival.
Umbrellas are common in the delta heat
A team waits in their boat
Get set, row!
Two teams competing on their colorful boats
But the highlight of the event is the Ghe Ngo boat race, bringing together 48 teams from the different provinces around Soc Trang to compete on the river over two days. The impressive dragon boats are 22 to 24 meters long and carry 50 to 60 rowers. These boats are valuable community assets and used only once a year for the festival.
Waiting for the next race
The crowd is rapt
A nice color combination
Do you think they have TikTok?