HÀ NỘI — The 2026 Hà Nội International Jazz Festival will take place in September, bringing together more than ten jazz ensembles from Việt Nam and abroad.

Themed Hà Nội Jazz – The Borderless Melody, the three‑day event from September 17 to 19 reflects the city’s vision as a member of UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network, aiming to establish the festival as a distinctive cultural hallmark of the capital.

The programme will encourage bold creative experiments, blending jazz with traditional Vietnamese instruments such as the monochord and bamboo flute, alongside art forms like chèo (traditional opera) and cải lương (reformed opera), as well as electronic music. These fusions are intended to shape and affirm the unique identity of Vietnamese jazz.

The opening ceremony, themed Hà Nội Jazz Sounds, will be staged at 8pm in the Music Garden open‑air space beside the Hà Nội Opera House, featuring performances by leading Vietnamese and international artists.

On September 18, under the theme Dialogue, audiences can look forward to three highlights: the international seminar Hà Nội and Jazz, the concert Jazz – Beloved Winter, and a vibrant Jazz Jam Session.

The festival will close on September 19 with the awards ceremony and finale themed Elevation. In addition, visitors will be treated to lively street jazz performances by young bands around the Hoàn Kiếm pedestrian zone, adding a dynamic flourish to the city’s cultural landscape. — VNS