From December 3 to 6, 2026, the Hoi An International Lantern Festival 2026 will take place at Hoai River Square, An Hoi Sculpture Garden, along the Hoai River, and across several streets in Hoi An Ancient Town. Under the theme “Hoi An – Heritage in a Kaleidoscope of Colors”, the festival promises to transform the heritage town into a vibrant celebration where light, art, and Hoi An’s distinctive cultural values come together.
A radiant lanternscape in the heart of the heritage town
One of the festival’s key highlights will be a large-scale lantern art installation space, featuring approximately 15 major lantern clusters that tell stories of Hoi An’s history, culture, and local life through the centuries. Installations will be presented at Hoai River Square, An Hoi Sculpture Garden, Nguyen Phuc Chu Street, Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street, Tran Phu Street, and on the Hoai River.
Alongside designs inspired by local handicrafts and materials such as ceramics, wood, and bamboo, the festival is also expected to feature lantern installations representing Japan, China, South Korea, Thailand, and Laos, as well as several provinces and cities across Viet Nam. Lantern displays will extend to craft villages, attractions, businesses, and community spaces, creating a festive atmosphere throughout Hoi An.
Notably, selected lantern art installations are expected to remain on display beyond the main festival period, until the end of the 2027 Lantern Festival during the Dinh Mui lunar year, offering residents and visitors more opportunities to experience the illuminated heritage space.
A vibrant program of experiences, performances, and international exchange
The opening ceremony is scheduled for 7:00 PM on December 3, 2026, at the main stage at Hoai River Square. Highlights will include a ceremonial lighting of the lantern space and a multidisciplinary performance combining music, dance, stage performances, and visual effects to celebrate heritage, local culture, and international exchange.
Throughout the four-day festival, visitors can take part in a wide range of activities, including hands-on experiences of the Hoi An lantern-making process, exchanges with artisans and creative practitioners, displays of handicrafts and souvenirs, and culinary discoveries at the “Taste of Hoi An” food space. Around 20 experience booths are expected to operate at Hoai River Square and An Hoi Sculpture Garden from 4:00 PM to 9:30 PM each day.
The program will also feature the “Lanterns and Regenerative Art” exhibition, lantern-making workshops using recycled and environmentally friendly materials, and the “Colors of Heritage” art performances showcasing Tuong classical drama, Bai Choi, folk songs, traditional instrumental music, contemporary performances, and ao dai fashion presentations.
Another anticipated highlight is “Minh Dang Da Hanh” on the evening of December 4, recreating the atmosphere of Hoi An Ancient Town in the early 20th century. Residents, artisans, performers, and visitors will join activities featuring traditional Vietnamese, Japanese, and Chinese costumes, handicraft demonstrations, folk performances, Vietnamese traditional costume parades, lantern dances, and lantern processions through the ancient town.
The festival will also include the seminar “Hoi An Handicrafts in the Journey of Integration and Creativity”, the “Impressions of Hoi An Lanterns” art photography contest, and an online competition for lantern motif and fashion design, opening up new and creative approaches to traditional craftsmanship in contemporary life.
When light tells the story of Hoi An
The festival will conclude on the evening of December 6, 2026, with the “Closing Gathering – Farewell” program at Hoai River Square. A major highlight will be the “Hoai Giang Night” performance on the river, portraying the cultural life, history, and spirit of Hoi An through folk music, traditional Quang Nam chants and songs, Bai Choi, traditional dance, and artistic lighting effects reflected across the water.
From the familiar glow of Hoi An’s lanterns, the Hoi An International Lantern Festival 2026 opens a new creative space where heritage is retold through light, color, and cultural encounters. In the first days of December, Hoi An promises to become a dazzling meeting place where residents and visitors can discover traditional crafts, artistic creativity, and local identity within a vibrant living heritage setting.
DANANG TOURISM PROMOTION CENTER
