The Cham ethnic minority community in the southern central province of Binh Thuan held a ritual parade on October 21 to begin their Kate Festival, which often lasts for one or two weeks.
The parade drew a ritual council delegation, clerics, artists and people from the Cham ethnic minority community in the Ham Thuan Bac District. They joined in the pilgrimage to the Posahlnu Temple in Phan Thiet Town.

The Kate Festival will also be held in other parts of the province, where other communities of the Cham people can be found.

For this occasion, provincial authorities and mass organisations also sent delegations to pay courtesy visits and present gifts to clerics and families of the Cham people. They also joined in festive celebrations with them.

In Ninh Thuan Province, over 55,000 people from the Cham ethnic minority group flocked to the Poklong Garai Temple to celebrate their traditional Kate Festival, wearing their traditional costumes.

Religious rituals were held to commemorate King Poklong Garai who reigned in the 12th-13th century and was the first person to bring water to crop fields. A temple dedicated to the King was built in the late 13th century about 5km northwest of the famous Cham Temple.

The Kate Festival is held annually on the seventh month of the Cham Calendar (around October in the solar calendar) to remember male deities such as Poklong Garia and Porome.

The Kate is the most important asset of the Cham people's cultural treasure. It is often held in an ancient tower or temple, a heritage site showing off the technological and artistic expertise of the Cham culture. The festival also highlights other aspects of the Cham cultural life such as offerings, clothes, instruments, hymns about virtuous kings and stories about field works. The festival also showcases Cham folk songs and dances.