From 11th to 20th September, the Thang Long Hanoi Festival 2026 is back in some of Hanoi’s iconic heritage sites, creating music, traditional arts, exhibitions, fashion and international cultural exchange stages for the city. The theme of this year’s event is “Heritage Flow” (Dòng chảy di sản), which brings Hanoi’s thousand-year history and the creativity of today together. Accessibility is the highlight of the month for those who are not from abroad – many concerts, exhibitions and cultural events are being made free for visitors to Hanoi, so September is a great opportunity to visit the city outside of the tourist track.
Thang Long Hanoi Festival 2026 Dates and Venues
The second Festival Thăng Long – Hà Nội officially runs for 10 days, from September 11–20, 2026.
The events are not held in one festival site but in several festive sites which are important in Hanoi such as the Thang Long Imperial Citadel, the Temple of Literature, Hanoi Museum, Bat Trang pottery village, the Martyrs’ Monument area, the Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square.
The festival is co-organized by the Hanoi authorities and managed by the city’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism. It aims to go beyond mere entertainment by bringing together Vietnamese cultural values and art, education, tourism, and contemporary creative industries.
Visitors can check the official announcement from the Hanoi Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
Thang Long Hanoi Festival 2026 Schedule Highlights
Opening Weekend at Thang Long Imperial Citadel
The festival starts at 8 p.m. on September 11 at the Thang Long Imperial Citadel. The first production will feature music and dance, 3D mapping, augmented reality, rotating-stage technology and visual effects. The opening programme is expected to see some 5,000 delegates and guests arrive.
The international arts exchange programme “Thang Long-Hanoi, Bridge of Heritage” will take place on 12th September at 8 pm, and will be performed by Vietnamese artists of many provinces and cities as well as performers from Japan, South Korea and India.
Younger crowds will have the chance to experience MOVE Fest – Chuyến tàu tiếp nối tinh hoa at 8 p.m. on September 13, where they will enjoy an evening session of contemporary music that will bridge the gap between the past and the present in Hanoi.
Heritage Events Beyond the Imperial Citadel
The festival gets more interesting to the tourists when they visit beyond the first venue.
Exhibitions, craft experiences, traditional displays and performances will take place at the Temple of Literature (Văn Miếu–Quốc Tử Giám) from the 11th to 20th of September. From September 11, Hanoi Museum will hold exhibitions and intangible-cultural-heritage activities, some of which will be continued until the end of 2026.
Bat Trang is hosting “Sounds of Ceramics” (Thanh âm Gốm) at Bat Trang which reinterprets the craft heritage of the famous pottery village with ceramic materials and instruments as the media on 19 September.
On September 19, the “Colors of Hanoi” fashion event will take place from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the vicinity of the Martyrs’ Monument, featuring both traditional materials and local craftsmanship, along with contemporary design.
The festival ends at 8 p.m. on Sept. 20, in front of Hoan Kiem Lake at Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square.
Thang Long Hanoi Festival 2026 Tickets: Is It Free?
Good News for Budget Travelers
There is an important difference for tourists when looking for tickets for Thang Long Hanoi Festival 2026.
A series of concerts, exhibitions, displays and discussions during the festival will be open to the public for free, according to Vietnamese newspaper Tuổi Trẻ at the official press conference in August.
Hanoi authorities have not announced any festival pass or universal ticketing system.
Tourists should not expect, however, that all the attractions in Hanoi are free in September. Visiting the heritage sites independently allows them to have their own normal admission policies, and capacity controls can be imposed on large scale performances.
For the latest official program information, use the Vietnam Government’s Thang Long Hanoi Festival guide.
Make Your Next Cultural Adventure Unforgettable
Could You Experience Thailand’s Sacred Traditions?
Check out Sart Thai 2026’s rituals, traditional food, and ancestor traditions.
Where Can You Find Phuket’s Por Tor Fest?
Find the best shrines, parades, and Ang Ku cake spots in Old Town.
Where Can You Watch River Lanterns?
Uncover the top locations and viewing tips for Vu Lan Festival 2026.
Want to Know Phuket Festival Etiquette?
Browse shrine locations, visitor etiquette, and photography rules before visiting.
How Can You Reach Pangapog Festival?
Get to know the schedule, island highlights, and travel options for Samal.
Why Tourists Should Visit the Festival
September 2026 Hanoi is a festival that can’t be found in a routine travel experience, where many heritage sites are at once vibrant cultural scenes.
A visitor might visit the Temple of Literature to learn traditional arts, visit an Imperial Citadel performance to learn and see contemporary technology, visit the artisans working in Bat Trang, and end the day with an evening programme near Hoan Kiem Lake.
For its second edition, organizers are anticipating around 250,000 attendees for the festival.The organizers estimate that about 250,000 people will visit during the festival period, highlighting Hanoi’s ambition on the scale of its second festival.
For foreigners, there’s also an international arts program and visually-oriented performances that shouldn’t be too difficult to understand even without the ability to speak Vietnamese.
FAQs
When is the Thang Long Hanoi Festival 2026?
The Thang Long Hanoi Festival 2026 runs from September 11 to September 20 at multiple cultural and heritage locations across Hanoi.
Is the Thang Long Hanoi Festival free?
Many concerts, exhibitions, discussions and cultural activities are free to the public. Individual heritage attractions may still apply their normal admission arrangements.
Where is the opening ceremony?
The opening program starts at 8 p.m. on September 11 at Thang Long Imperial Citadel.
What is the 2026 festival theme?
The official theme is “Dòng chảy di sản – Heritage Flow,” highlighting how Hanoi’s heritage is preserved, reinterpreted and passed into contemporary life.
