Vietnam’s Hoi An to host int’l lantern festival for 1st time in December

The festival will take place at the Hoai River Square, An Hoi Sculpture Garden, along the Hoai River and on several streets in Hoi An Ancient Town.

An exhibition space featuring artistic lantern installations is expected to remain open until the First Full Moon Festival in 2027, which falls on the 15th day of the first lunar month.

The four-day international lantern festival will feature a wide range of activities, including an opening ceremony combined with artistic performances on land and on the river, a space featuring around 15 large-scale artistic lantern clusters, lantern-making workshops, and a culinary space showcasing the flavors of Hoi An.

Other activities will include an exhibition on lanterns and art of regeneration, a heritage-themed artistic program, a nighttime lantern procession, a discussion on Hoi An's traditional crafts, and photography and lantern-pattern design contests.

The Da Nang administration has also issued a plan to organize Hoi An Creative Week 2026 under the theme “A Journey to Touch Heritage, Touch Creativity.”

The event will run from August 28 to September 2 at Hoai River Square, An Hoi Sculpture Garden, Hoi An Ancient Town, as well as craft villages and creative spaces in wards and communes across the city.

The event will feature an opening ceremony introducing the Hoi An Creative Map, a digital platform showcasing the city's creative ecosystem; a series of discussions titled “Art in Every Village”; a program to help craft villages embrace digital transformation; art exhibitions; creative workshops; and an AI technology experience area for children.

The event will also include a series of artistic performances and a GPS-based interactive challenge.