Held from May 28 to 30 (the 12th to 14th days of the fourth lunar month), the Water Ball Wrestling Festival in Van Village, Bac Ninh Province, is a centuries-old folk celebration rooted in local prayers for favorable weather and abundant harvests.

Recognized as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in 2022, the festival is held every two years and attracts large crowds. The highlight of the festival is a unique competition featuring 16 young men selected from local hamlets, divided into two teams: Giap Thuong and Giap Ha. Wearing traditional loincloths, the players compete for a wooden ball in a muddy, water-filled field, reenacting an ancient ritual closely associated with wet-rice cultivation and the agricultural life of northern Vietnam.