Hoi An to stage international lantern festival as year-end cultural showcase

Hoi An is preparing to welcome visitors for an international lantern festival designed to highlight the town's cultural significance and traditional craftsmanship. The event will activate multiple locations throughout the ancient quarter, including Hoai River Square, An Hoi Sculpture Garden, riverside promenades and streets across the town center.

Organizers say the festival aims to preserve the centuries-old tradition of lantern-making, a craft deeply embedded in Hoi An's identity and visitor experience. The initiative also seeks to promote broader Vietnamese cultural heritage to international audiences while creating expanded creative spaces within the town.

Hoi An, a well-preserved example of Southeast Asian architecture and culture, has increasingly attracted global attention in recent years. The town's distinctive yellow-walled buildings and lantern-lit streets have become iconic symbols of Vietnamese cultural tourism.

The year-end programming reflects efforts by local authorities to position Hoi An as a cultural destination beyond its traditional appeal as a heritage site, combining preservation efforts with contemporary creative development.

Photo: Lanterns along a street in Hoi An's ancient town, Vietnam, July 2018. Christophe95 via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).