Traditional and contemporary arts spreading throughout the community
In Ha Noi, on the evening of August 19, thousands of people gathered at Cau Giay Park to watch the programme “From the Autumn of Independence”, staged by the Thang Long Theatre of Song, Dance and Music. At the same time, numerous other programmes featuring chèo, cải lương, drama, circus, puppetry, and song and dance were staged simultaneously in Ngoc Hoi, Quang Minh, Binh Minh, Hat Mon, Ba Vi and Hai Ba Trung.
On September 1 and 2, the theatres will continue to bring performances to Dan Phuong, Minh Chau, Phuc Son and Bat Trang communes, Dai Xuyen and the area around Ba Kieu Temple Flower Garden. The Viet Nam Circus Federation will stage multiple performances from August 29 to September 6 for the programme “Viet Nam’s Spirit” at the Central Circus, under the artistic direction of People's Artist Tong Toan Thang. The Viet Nam National Drama Theatre will participate with 24 free performances of “Uncle Ho – Two Sacred Words” across Ha Noi and several provinces and cities.
“Artists are always ready to serve the people in public spaces. This is also a way to enable traditional and contemporary arts to reach a wider audience in everyday life,” said People's Artist Thu Huyen, Director of the Ha Noi Cheo Theatre.
Alongside the free programmes, Ha Noi is introducing a series of high-quality artistic productions bearing the capital’s distinctive brand related to Cheo singing at Dai Nam Theatre on August 26, Ha Noi stories at the Thang Long Theatre of Song, Dance and Music, and the Cai luong play “The Ha Thanh Girl” at Chuong Vang Theatre on August 29. People's Artist Tan Minh, Director of the Thang Long Theatre of Song, Dance and Music, said: “While outdoor stages create a vibrant and intimate atmosphere, programmes held at theatres offer a more in-depth appreciation experience, thereby introducing the beauty of Ha Noi’s arts to the public.”
Stages in Ho Chi Minh City, meanwhile, are attracting audiences with a number of new productions. At the City Theatre, director Minh Nguyet and the Trang Stage team performed a play on two evenings on August 29 and 30, adapted from the short story “A Strand of Hair” by scholar Cao Huy Thuan, with the music of Trinh Cong Son serving as the emotional thread throughout the performance.
Not only spoken drama, but the city’s traditional theatre is also moving beyond its familiar venues. On the evening of September 2, the Tran Huu Trang Cai Luong Theatre will stage a 120-minute programme in Thoi Hoa Ward, directed by Vu Tran, with Hoang Song Viet as editor and artistic adviser. The programme will include the popular song “Continuing the Story of Peace”. The Ho Chi Minh City Hat boi Theatre will bring this stylised traditional art form to Nguyen Van Binh Book Street on the afternoon of September 2.
In Quang Ninh, on the evening of August 28, more than 100,000 people gathered at October 30 Square and along Tran Quoc Nghien coastal road to watch the special artistic programme “Quang Ninh – A City Shining into the Future”, celebrating Quang Ninh’s official establishment as a centrally administered city.
Featuring around 1,000 artists, the 120-minute programme comprised four chapters, combining outdoor performance, circus and 3D Mapping technology to recreate layers of historical heritage in the Mining Land, from the victory on the Bach Dang River to images of resilient coal miners, before concluding with a display of 3,000 drones in the sky over Ha Long Bay. Immediately after the performance, the Viet Nam Records Organisation confirmed that it was the artistic programme staged beside a heritage bay, combining multiple performance spaces, with the largest number of spectators attending in person in the country.
Creating distinctive cultural spaces and expanding experiences
During the National Day holiday, provinces and cities are also hosting a wide range of distinctive cultural and artistic experiences, creating a joyful atmosphere. At the Sa Pa National Tourism Area in Lao Cai Province, the Sa Pa Autumn Festival is taking place, attracting large numbers of tourists. According to estimates by the Sa Pa Ward People's Committee, tens of thousands of visitors arrived in the locality to sightsee during the first two days of the holiday.
On the evening of August 29, a programme recreating a highland market and the Sa Pa Love Market at the Sa Pa Cultural Space, near the Stone Church, offered visitors a range of memorable experiences, including sampling thắng cố and mèn mén, meeting and interacting with artisans, and learning about handicrafts and traditional customs of ethnic communities.
According to Comrade Dang Viet Dung, Vice Chairman of the Sa Pa Ward People's Committee, the locality will continue organising a variety of cultural and tourism programmes until the end of September. In the coming days, visitors will be able to explore the cultural and culinary space at Ban May, participate in the first Northwestern Brocade Carnival, and attend the programme “Golden Hues in the Clouds 2026”, along with numerous sports, recreational and experiential activities.
At the Viet Nam National Village for Ethnic Culture and Tourism in Dong Mo, Doai Phuong Commune, the northern highland market space in Ethnic Village Area I is recreating the atmosphere of periodic markets in the Northwestern and Northeastern regions under the theme “The Highland Celebrates”. Forty stalls are showcasing local products and traditional cuisine, hosted by the Tay, Nung, H’Mong and Dao ethnic communities from Cao Bang, the Thai ethnic community from Son La, and indigenous groups.
Visitors can also enjoy the Cat Lion dance of the Nung ethnic group – a National Intangible Cultural Heritage – as well as the folk song and dance programme “Celebrating the Independence Festival” and performances of the H’Mong khèn.
Three distinctive traditional rituals are being recreated, including the Nung ethnic group’s Crop Praying Ceremony, an excerpt from the Dao ethnic group’s Wedding Procession Ceremony in Cao Bang, and the Thai ethnic group’s New Rice Celebration Ceremony in Son La. At the Ba Na and Raglai ethnic villages, the programme “The Highlands Celebrate Independence Day” is taking place.
During the peak National Day holiday period, Da Nang has prepared nearly 40 activities and events for residents and visitors, with the “Hoi An Creative Week 2026” among the highlights. Opening on the evening of August 28 under the theme “A Journey to Touch Heritage, Touch Creativity”, the event is creating a diverse creative space stretching from Hoai River Square and An Hoi Sculpture Garden to the Hoi An theatre area and the lanes of the old town.
