HÀ NỘI – Hà Nội’s Việt Nam Culture Day 2026 plans were laid out at a conference held by the municipal Party Committee’s Commission for Publicity on November 6.

Nguyễn Thị Mai Hương, deputy director of the municipal Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, presented the plans.

The main event is a November 24 evening show at Mỹ Đình National Stadium, expected to draw about 50,000 spectators. It will be broadcast live on VTV1 and combine music performances with fireworks showcasing cultures of regions across Việt Nam.

The Mỹ Đình show is set for 8pm on November 24 and capped at 120 minutes. Hà Nội will chair the event with the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Publicity, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of National Defence and Việt Nam Television.

The format is an opening ceremony and speeches by Party and State leaders, then art performances interspersed with fireworks. Thăng Long-Hà Nội cultural markers will anchor the narrative, designed to show the convergence of cultural values of regions and ethnic communities nationwide.

The stadium show is a centrepiece of Hà Nội’s Culture Day 2026 push. The city will also run cultural and art events around the Hoàn Kiếm Lake pedestrian space from November 21 to 24.

Opening events on November 21-22 are expected to draw more than 30,000 people. The November 21 morning highlight includes an incense offering to King Lý Thái Tổ at 7:00, an opening ceremony from 7:30 to 9:30, and a heritage parade with 18 blocks involving about 2,300 artisans and residents from 48 communes and wards, plus relevant units, 100 artists and athletes and 200 students.

On November 21-22, audiences can watch traditional and contemporary art performances at Đông Kinh Nghĩa Thục Square, Cảm Tử Monument and Tràng Tiền Plaza–Hàng Khay intersection. The lineup includes chèo (Vietnamese traditional opera), cải lương (reformed opera), drama, puppetry, circus and other genres.

The Thăng Long Water Puppet Theatre and Hà Nội Drama Theatre will stage Hà Nội-themed excerpts and short plays with artist interaction and traditional puppetry experiences.

From November 21 to 24, Hà Nội will arrange five exhibition and experience spaces downtown. The eastern square will host about 30 booths for traditional craft villages and streets, while the 45 Tràng Tiền exhibition house will show Hanoi culture across periods.

At the 93 Đinh Tiên Hoàng exhibition house, visitors can experience art combined with digital technology, virtual and augmented reality. The Hồ Gươm Cultural Centre will host the “Hà Nội Culture – Convergence of Essence” exhibition while the 47 Hàng Dầu space will present “Hà Nội – City for Peace and Creativity”.

Units will rehearse together on November 7-8, hold a preliminary review on November 18 and a final review on November 19.

Activities will extend to 126 communes and wards. Each locality must hold at least one commune-level cultural or sports event and select one product, story, cultural space or model to spread.

All 126 communes and wards have issued plans, 115 of them have registered specific activities. The city has linked 71 traditional festivals in November across 24 communes and wards to the Việt Nam Culture Day.

At the Việt Nam National Village for Ethnic Culture and Tourism, events tied to the Great National Solidarity Day will run from November 14 to 24. The November 14-15 agenda will draw more than 200 artisans and ethnic community members, including representatives of 16 ethnic groups regularly active at the village and 115 artisans and community members from Khánh Hòa, Quảng Ngãi, Thanh Hóa and Quảng Ninh.

On October 3-4, Hà Nội kicked off activities in response to the day at the village. The municipal People’s Committee and authorities of 10 cities and provinces signed a coordination regulation on preserving and promoting ethnic cultural values, developing cultural and tourism products and holding village activities.

According to the municipal Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, making the Việt Nam Culture Day an annual event is part of the municipal Party Committee’s action plan and follows the Politburo’s Resolution 80-NQ/TW, dated January 7, 2026, on Vietnamese culture development. Hà Nội lists it among five signature cultural events under the capital’s brand, alongside cinema, music, creative design and sports. VNA/VNS