Spring Fair 2026, a large-scale national trade event, is more than a bustling shopping destination for the Lunar New Year. It serves as a strategic platform to introduce the cultural heritage and distinctive products of Vietnam’s traditional craft villages to international markets. By weaving commerce with culture, the fair is poised to generate fresh momentum, projecting the image of a dynamic, culturally grounded, and globally engaged Vietnam.

Scheduled from February 2 to 13, 2026, at the Vietnam Exhibition Center (VEC) in Hanoi, the event unfolds as a curated “spring journey across Vietnam.” Covering tens of thousands of square meters, it features thousands of booths representing ministries, sectors, provinces, and businesses nationwide. What sets the fair apart is its seamless fusion of cultural expression and commercial promotion, creating a space that captures the festive spirit of Tet while highlighting the country’s development ambitions and deepening global integration.

 

Themed exhibition zones are thoughtfully organized, with dedicated spaces for traditional craft villages. From ceramics of Bat Trang and silk from Van Phuc to bamboo and rattan weaving, fine woodcraft, mother-of-pearl inlay, and lacquerware, products are showcased in a professional and visually engaging manner. This approach not only enables domestic consumers to access high-quality goods with verified origins, but also provides artisans and craft enterprises with direct exposure to potential overseas buyers and partners.

The “Essence of Vietnamese Culture” zone, hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, together with displays of key export sectors, textiles and garments, leather and footwear, wood products, and handicrafts, organized by the Ministry of Industry and Trade, plays a pivotal role in reinforcing the “Made in Vietnam” brand. Live craft demonstrations, narratives highlighting the cultural stories behind each product, and artistic performances enrich the visitor experience while strengthening the added value and global competitiveness of Vietnamese goods.

 

The Prime Minister’s directive that Spring Fair must serve as “a bridge integrating Vietnam’s cultural industries into domestic, regional, and global trade flows” underscores the event’s strategic significance. It reflects a clear policy direction: harnessing cultural creativity as a driver of economic growth and empowering craft villages to reach wider international markets.

At the same time, realizing this ambition requires addressing persistent challenges, improving product quality, aligning production processes with international standards, accelerating digital transformation in marketing and distribution, and building sustainable supply chains.

Yet the opportunities are equally substantial. Direct engagement with importers and international distributors, participation in large-scale B2B and B2C forums, and expanded market access offer crucial stepping stones for Vietnamese craft products to diversify export channels and strengthen their foothold on the global trade map.

Spring Fair 2026 stands as concrete evidence of the Government’s sustained commitment to advancing the national brand, particularly through the promotion of culturally rooted, craft-based industries that embody both tradition and innovation.

• Story:  Thong Thien/VNP
• Photos:  Viet Cuong & Cong Dat/VNP