This year’s festival attracted nearly 200 artists, artisans, actors, and musicians from 18 clubs in eight cities and provinces nationwide: Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hai Phong, Quang Ninh, Vinh Phuc, Thai Binh, Thanh Hoa, and Ninh Binh. It created an artistic playground introducing the public to Xam singing and contributed to raising community awareness about restoring, preserving and promoting its value. This was also an opportunity for artists and groups of Xam singers in cities and provinces to meet, exchange, and improve their expertise. The festival also aimed to encourage and honour artisans who pass on the intangible cultural heritage of Xam singing to the younger generation, and to boost socio-economic and cultural development. In addition to the main competition, activities like paying tribute to Xam master singer Ha Thi Cầu and performances to promote Ninh Binh tourism were also held during the festival./.