Festival Celebrates Peak Strawberry Season

Đà Lạt's much-anticipated Annual Strawberry Harvest Festival opened Saturday morning at the city's agricultural showcase area near Trại Mát, welcoming an estimated 15,000 visitors on its first day. The five-day event, running through January 30, celebrates the peak of the highland city's strawberry season with farm tours, tastings, and local culinary competitions.

"This year's harvest is exceptional," said Nguyễn Văn Thành, chairman of the Đà Lạt Strawberry Growers Association. "The cool temperatures in December and January created perfect growing conditions. Our farmers are producing some of the sweetest, most vibrant strawberries we've seen in years."

Farm-to-Table Experiences Draw Urban Visitors

The festival features over 40 strawberry farms opening their fields to visitors for pick-your-own experiences, with prices ranging from 80,000 to 120,000 VND per kilogram depending on the variety. Popular farms in the Trại Mát and Đa Sar communes reported being fully booked through the weekend, with visitors arriving from Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and neighboring provinces.

At the festival's main pavilion near the Lâm Viên Square, local chefs competed in the Strawberry Culinary Challenge, creating innovative dishes using the ruby-red fruit. Lê Thị Hương from Hoa Binh Restaurant took first prize with her strawberry-infused bánh bao (steamed buns) served with a tangy dipping sauce made from Đà Lạt's famous artichokes.

Economic Boost for Local Farmers

Strawberries represent a significant economic driver for Lâm Đồng province, with annual production exceeding 8,000 tons valued at approximately 400 billion VND. The festival provides crucial direct-marketing opportunities for small-scale farmers who typically sell through intermediaries at Đà Lạt Market or to processors.

"We can earn 30-40% more by selling directly to tourists," explained Trần Minh Đức, who operates a three-hectare farm in Ward 10. "The festival brings customers right to our door."

Festival Activities Continue Through Week

Beyond farm visits, the festival features a night market on Trần Hưng Đạo street selling strawberry-based products including jams, dried fruit, wine, and cosmetics. Evening entertainment includes traditional music performances and a strawberry-eating contest scheduled for Thursday.

Organizers expect total attendance to surpass 50,000 visitors by Friday's closing ceremony, which will feature a display of the festival's largest strawberry—currently a 95-gram specimen grown by farmer Hoàng Văn Long.

Entry to festival sites is free, though farm visits and activities require separate tickets available at dalat.strawberryfestival.vn.

Festival Celebrates Peak Strawberry Season

Đà Lạt's much-anticipated Annual Strawberry Harvest Festival opened Saturday morning at the city's agricultural showcase area near Trại Mát, welcoming an estimated 15,000 visitors on its first day. The five-day event, running through January 30, celebrates the peak of the highland city's strawberry season with farm tours, tastings, and local culinary competitions.

"This year's harvest is exceptional," said Nguyễn Văn Thành, chairman of the Đà Lạt Strawberry Growers Association. "The cool temperatures in December and January created perfect growing conditions. Our farmers are producing some of the sweetest, most vibrant strawberries we've seen in years."

Farm-to-Table Experiences Draw Urban Visitors

The festival features over 40 strawberry farms opening their fields to visitors for pick-your-own experiences, with prices ranging from 80,000 to 120,000 VND per kilogram depending on the variety. Popular farms in the Trại Mát and Đa Sar communes reported being fully booked through the weekend, with visitors arriving from Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and neighboring provinces.

At the festival's main pavilion near the Lâm Viên Square, local chefs competed in the Strawberry Culinary Challenge, creating innovative dishes using the ruby-red fruit. Lê Thị Hương from Hoa Binh Restaurant took first prize with her strawberry-infused bánh bao (steamed buns) served with a tangy dipping sauce made from Đà Lạt's famous artichokes.

Economic Boost for Local Farmers

Strawberries represent a significant economic driver for Lâm Đồng province, with annual production exceeding 8,000 tons valued at approximately 400 billion VND. The festival provides crucial direct-marketing opportunities for small-scale farmers who typically sell through intermediaries at Đà Lạt Market or to processors.

"We can earn 30-40% more by selling directly to tourists," explained Trần Minh Đức, who operates a three-hectare farm in Ward 10. "The festival brings customers right to our door."

Festival Activities Continue Through Week

Beyond farm visits, the festival features a night market on Trần Hưng Đạo street selling strawberry-based products including jams, dried fruit, wine, and cosmetics. Evening entertainment includes traditional music performances and a strawberry-eating contest scheduled for Thursday.

Organizers expect total attendance to surpass 50,000 visitors by Friday's closing ceremony, which will feature a display of the festival's largest strawberry—currently a 95-gram specimen grown by farmer Hoàng Văn Long.

Entry to festival sites is free, though farm visits and activities require separate tickets available at dalat.strawberryfestival.vn.