A performance at the opening ceremony of the Happy Tet programme 2026 on February 6. Photo: VNA  

The Happy Tet programme 2026, themed “Tet is Happiness”, was launched at the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long in Hanoi on February 6, offering a diverse array of vibrant cultural activities in the lead-up to the country's largest spring festival.

The programme is jointly held by the Hanoi Department of Tourism, in collaboration with the Thang Long – Hanoi Heritage Conservation Centre, the Union of Friendship Organisations of the city, and various relevant departments and units. It is part of activities marking the successful 14th National Party Congress and the Party’s 96th founding anniversary (February 3, 1930–2026).

  Traditional Tet dishes of the North are showcased at the programme. Photo: VNA  

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Director of the Hanoi Department of Tourism Dang Huong Giang said Happy Tet is designed as a journey to experience the traditional Lunar New Year (Tet) celebrations of Hanoi and various regions across the country. It reenacts the atmosphere of family reunions, customs, traditional markets, cuisine, folk arts, and cherished spring memories that have been meaningful to generations of Vietnamese people.

Happy Tet is also a vibrant cultural space where the essence of spring from various regions converges – from the dazzling colours of the Northwest villages to the golden apricot blossoms of the South – creating a rich, colourful, and lively Vietnamese Tet tapestry, she noted.

Happy Tet is an annual promotional and tourism event of Hanoi that has been held since 2022. Its successful organisation has left a positive impression on both local residents and international visitors. The event has become one of the key cultural and tourism activities of the capital.

Giang said this year's programme also aims to bring traditional Tet values into contemporary life through lacquer art, painting, fashion, cultural performances, and narratives about customs, festivals, and cuisine.

It is therefore expected to enable the younger generation and international visitors to gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of Vietnamese cultural values in the context of modern flow, the official added.

Covering an area of over 7,000sq.m, the Happy Tet 2026 space is intricately designed and decorated, offering a rich series of experiential spaces for residents and visitors, including Spring Market, Tet Flavours, Traditional Crafts, Traditional Games and the Digital Tet Space.

A variety of engaging activities are also available to immerse visitors in the Tet atmosphere, including making banh chung (square glutinous rice cakes), asking for calligraphy letters, crafting modern Tet decorations, exploring Tet stories through an interactive multimedia display, and receiving li xi (lucky money) via QR codes, among others.

Notably, a reenactment of the traditional ritual of erecting the Neu (decorated bamboo) pole will be held in the morning of February 10 (the 23rd of the 12th lunar month). The ritual, a significant cultural practice in Vietnam, especially during the Tet festival, is believed to ward off ghosts and demons from entering the community during Tet. It is also meant direct ancestors seeking the path home for the Lunar New Year holiday.

Giang said Happy Tet 2026 is expected to become a springtime rendezvous for both residents and visitors, and also serve as an important tourism promotion event for the capital from the very beginning of the new year.

Happy Tet welcomes visitors till February 10./.