It is usually held on the 15 th of the 12 th month, according to the Buddhist calendar or in October according to the Gregorian month. People take this opportunity to pray the Moon God to bring good crops, abundant fish and health. On the night of the full moon, people prepare a feast in front yards of pagodas and houses.
People release paper lanterns into the sky and ferries made of banana-tree bark in the river.
These customs are believe to sweep away the darkness and humidity of the rainy seasons. The next morning, the Ngo Boat Race is held. This is a very popular activity of the festival attracting several hundred thousand of people. It is a pirogue in the shape of a lozenge with a head and tail. Skilful sailors are required to manoeuvre the boat during the competition, otherwise, it is likely to sink easily.