The brightly colored “floating castles,” featuring modern light show technology on Ha Long Bay, created a vibrant and emotional summer atmosphere for tens of thousands of festivalgoers. Photo: VNA  

More than a vibrant festival, the event served as a vivid demonstration of efforts to implement Resolution No. 80-NQ/TW of the Politburo on the development of Vietnamese culture, reaffirming Quang Ninh’s evolving mindset of turning heritage into a powerful internal resource to drive breakthroughs in cultural industries in a new era.

A notable highlight of this year’s edition was the transformation in organisational scale associated with the two-tier local government model. Streamlining intermediate levels helped unlock grassroots cultural resources, creating renewed momentum. For the first time, all 54 localities converged, each bringing distinctive cultural features to weave a diverse and dynamic cultural tapestry in the heart of the heritage land.

  The event featured performances by artists from several neighboring countries. Photo: VNA  

A defining feature of the programme was a street carnival featuring 59 model vehicles, described as “mobile museums” vividly promoting the land, people, and economic potential of Quang Ninh. Under dazzling lights, thousands of professional and amateur performers took part in performances along the nearly 1-kilometre coastal road of Tran Quoc Nghien, leading to the main stage.

Meanwhile, Ha Long Bay itself turned into a floating stage with a coordinated light performance by a fleet of tourist boats. This seamless combination between onshore and offshore activities created a lively summer festival atmosphere, reflecting the stature of a rapidly transforming international tourism hub. The event gathered renowned artists alongside thousands of mass performers, attracting more than 80,000 residents and visitors.

Nguyen Thi Thanh Thuy, Deputy Director of the provincial Department of Culture and Sports, emphasised that Ha Long Carnaval 2026 is not merely an entertainment event but a signature cultural-tourism product of the province. It represents a concrete step in implementing the Party Central Committee's policies on cultural development, with a focus on linking heritage preservation and promotion with the growth of cultural industries, the night-time economy, and sustainable tourism services. Through the series of activities within the Quang Ninh Summer Culture, Sports, and Tourism Week, the province aims to promote its culture, people, and dynamic, internationally integrated tourism potential, while creating diverse experiences to encourage longer visitor stays.

Under the theme “Ha Long Carnaval 2026 – Where wonders illuminate a new era,” the province expects to deliver an impressive, distinctive, and emotionally engaging festival season for both residents and visitors.

The strong participation of the community, from miners to fishermen performing as amateur artists, stood as a clear testament to the spirit that “the people are the creators of culture".

Vu Thi Mai, a resident of Ha Long ward, shared that although she has attended the carnaval for many years, this year left her truly amazed by the vibrancy of the parade. The gathering of all 54 localities enabled her to fully appreciate the richness of local culture, fostering both pride and a deeper sense of responsibility for preserving the beauty of Ha Long as a world heritage site.

The festival also left a strong impression on international visitors. Robert Jenkins, a 32-year-old tourist from the UK, said he was astonished by the illuminated fleet on the bay combined with the lively parade onshore. The diversity of cultural expressions made him feel as though he had experienced the entirety of Quang Ninh in just one night, while the strong sense of community stood out as particularly remarkable.

The success of Ha Long Carnaval 2026 once again affirms Quang Ninh’s sound direction of taking culture as the foundation and a driving force for economic development. Bringing Party Central Committee and Government resolutions into life has not only helped preserve cultural identity but also created unique tourism products.

The event concluded with a spectacular fireworks display over Ha Long Bay, heralding a promising tourism season and underscoring the unity of all 54 communes, wards, and special zones in their journey toward greater international integration./.