Thousands of residents and tourists gathered at the DIFF 2026 grandstand by the late afternoon to secure viewing spots for the opening night.

This year’s festival brings together top fireworks teams from France, Italy, Germany, Australia, China, and Vietnam, all renowned for their artistry and success at global competitions.

The opening night carried the theme ‘Nature,’ marking the launch of six fireworks evenings scheduled for May 30 to July 11.

The Da Nang team opened the festival with a narrative celebrating the beauty of Vietnam’s natural heritage and highlighting a call for environmental protection.

Their show blended vibrant fireworks with moments of quiet reflection, guiding audiences from awe to contemplation about preserving the planet.

Thousands of fireworks were launched in layers, synchronized with music to create a symphony of light.

The performance was praised for its innovation, emotional depth, and strong cultural identity.

China, the defending champion from DIFF 2025, returned with a performance titled ‘Flower of the Orient,’ inspired by the folk song ‘Jasmine Flower.’

Their show featured smoke-free fireworks and music rich in Asian cultural motifs.

The Chinese team demonstrated technical mastery, synchronizing fireworks with music and delivering dense, colorful sequences that transformed the Han River sky into a mesmerizing Oriental painting.

A surprise inclusion of the song ‘Viet Nam tinh hoa’ (Vietnam Essence) drew loud applause and added a memorable highlight to the night.

The second night, themed ‘Heritage,’ will feature France’s Lux Factory POK 2.0 and Vietnam’s Z121 Vina Pyrotech, runner-up at DIFF 2025.