HÀ NỘI — An exhibition celebrating and trading One Commune, One Product (OCOP) goods, handicrafts and tourism-linked village products will open on October 17 at the Phùng Khắc Khoan flower garden square in Thạch Thất Commune, offering visitors a vivid showcase of local creativity and craftsmanship.

The event will feature around 80 booths, including a special zone highlighting OCOP products and traditional handicrafts from the community. It follows a successful exhibition held earlier this month in Mê Linh Commune and forms part of a broader series promoting creative design centres and tourism-oriented OCOP development across Hà Nội.

Thạch Thất is long celebrated for its artisanal heritage, home to craft villages specialising in carpentry, ancient brick and tile making, weaving, rattan and bamboo work and agricultural product processing. Local enterprises, production facilities, artisans and skilled craftspeople will join to display and trade their distinctive creations.

The previous Mê Linh event, held in early this month, drew 125 booths, with 80 dedicated to OCOP and handicraft displays and 45 showcasing businesses from Hà Nội and other provinces.

The Hà Nội Department of Industry and Trade has set out an ambitious plan to continue such exhibitions through 2025, aiming to boost the visibility of local crafts and establish a network of Creative Design Centres linked to tourism.

By offering a vibrant platform for traditional products, especially ceramics, rattan and bamboo weaving and garments, the programme supports artisans and small businesses while appealing to both local and international visitors.

Exhibitions will also feature live demonstrations of craft techniques and production processes, giving tourists a closer look at the skills and traditions that shape Việt Nam’s cultural identity.

To ensure success, the department has called for carefully designed, visually appealing and well-organised displays. Artisans and businesses are encouraged to create open and engaging spaces that invite visitors to explore.

Hà Nội remains the heart of Vietnamese craftsmanship, home to more than 1,350 craft villages and around 176,000 households working in traditional trades, accounting for nearly 45 per cent of all craft villages nationwide. — VNS