Hanoi Tourism Ao Dai Festival 2025 Connecting Culture, Creativity, and Tourism
On the evening of November 6, the Hanoi Tourism Ao Dai Festival 2025 officially opened at the Hanoi Museum, initiating a vibrant series of events dedicated to celebrating the beauty of the Vietnamese Ao Dai (long dress) and promoting the capital's unique image to the world. The event, organized by the Hanoi Department of Tourism, attracted central and municipal leaders, along with a large crowd of tourists and residents.
The festival runs from November 6 to 9 in an environment brimming with creative colors, where past and present harmoniously converge. The opening ceremony featured 30 designers from across the country, who presented unique Ao Dai collections reflecting the cultural richness of Vietnam through every stitch and silk thread. Concurrently, various exhibition booths showcasing products, accessories, and Ao Dai brands from the North, Central, and South regions were arranged within the museum grounds, offering visitors a diverse cultural experience.
the Hanoi Tourism Ao Dai Festival 2025. Photo: Khanh Long/VNP
More than just a fashion showcase, the Hanoi Tourism Ao Dai Festival 2025 serves as a vital platform connecting culture, creativity, and tourism. The children's program, "I Love Hanoi," recreated the innocence of Hanoi childhood, while the "Ao Dai - Connecting Heritage" design competition introduced fresh ideas from young talents who are helping to refresh the traditional cultural icon using contemporary creative language.
One of the highlights was the Ao Dai parade around Hoan Kiem Lake, where thousands of brightly colored long dresses merged with the heritage space in the heart of the capital. The solemn procession honoring the ancestor of Trach Xa tailoring village was reenacted, alongside the "Hundred Flowers Procession" and a performance of modernized Ao Dai by women from Hoan Kiem ward. Over 1,000 members of the Hanoi Heritage Ao Dai Club appeared in traditional and ancient costumes, creating a vivid portrait of Vietnamese cultural identity within the modern urban center.
the North, Central, and South regions at the Hanoi Tourism Ao Dai Festival 2025. Photo: Khanh Long/VNP
the North, Central, and South regions at the Hanoi Tourism Ao Dai Festival 2025. Photo: Khanh Long/VNP
the North, Central, and South regions at the Hanoi Tourism Ao Dai Festival 2025. Photo: Khanh Long/VNP
The exhibition space showcasing Ao Dai and accessories, featuring typical designs and brands from
the North, Central, and South regions at the Hanoi Tourism Ao Dai Festival 2025. Photo: Khanh Long/VNP
Additionally, the synchronized performance, "Capital Women in Integration and Development," jointly organized by the Hanoi Department of Tourism and the Municipal Women's Union, brought high energy to the event. 350 women, clad in brilliant Ao Dai, moved to the melodies of "Hanoi – Faith and Hope" and the "Ao Dai Dance," embodying the image of confident, capable, and integrated Vietnamese women in the new era.
To enhance the visitor experience, Hanoi also organized the "Touching Autumn Hanoi" tour via double-decker bus. Tourists wearing the Ao Dai could stroll past famous landmarks, feel the autumnal air, and capture personalized moments with the city. This activity effectively transforms the Ao Dai into a "tourism ambassador," linking cultural heritage with the visitor experience.
Photo: Khanh Long/VNP
In her opening speech, Dang Huong Giang, Director of the Hanoi Department of Tourism, emphasized that with the theme "Hanoi Ao Dai – Shining Heritage Essence," the festival is a key activity within the Thang Long - Hanoi Festival 2025. The event aims to honor traditional cultural values, spark national pride, and foster love for the Ao Dai, Vietnam’s distinct intangible cultural heritage. Concurrently, it serves as an opportunity to link culture and tourism, spreading the image of the elegant, civilized, and creative Hanoi people to international friends.
More than just a festival celebrating the long dress, the event is a cultural and tourism forum where the community, artisans, designers, and businesses can exchange and share creative inspiration. Through this, Hanoi seeks to transform the Ao Dai into a cultural energy that permeates contemporary life, contributing to the capital's goal of developing "green, sustainable, and humane" tourism.
From the heritage of the Ao Dai to the journey of innovation, the Hanoi Tourism Ao Dai Festival 2025 affirms Hanoi's position as a vibrant cultural center where tradition and modernity shine together.
By Khanh Long - Translated by Dang Huyen