The organizing board presented awards to record holders of the largest martial arts festival, the largest number of martial arts programmes, the largest stage, the largest show of Tuong (classical drama) masks, the largest drum performance, the largest coconut-coated pancake and the largest pancake oven.

The closing ceremony was highlighted by a special performance of drums and a photo exhibition of the inauguration of Thi Nai bridge, which is Vietnam’s longest bridge crossing the sea. It was also adorned with almost 200 masks from characters in famed traditional Tuong (classical drama) plays.

More than 1,000 Vietnamese artists joined art troupes from Laos and the Republic of Korea in performances at the ceremony.

During the past ten days, people in Binh Dinh province have enjoyed a range of special cultural and sporting events. Included was the second international festival for traditional Vietnamese martial arts, the national martial arts festival, the national classical drama festival, a gala night of flower garlands and coloured lanterns on Thi Nai lagoon, and a poetry night. A beauty contest was also held along with traditional craft village festivals, cuisine festivals and a procession and offering of flowers to commemorate Emperor Quang Trung, a shrewd king and a great national hero.

The 2008 Tay Son-Binh Dinh festival was the biggest of its kind seen in Binh Dinh province and vividly featured traditional cultural values. Throughout the event, Binh Dinh aimed to promote the distinctive characteristics of its traditional martial arts and classical drama while introducing its potential for economic and tourism development.