Hanoi rings in New Year with heritage and innovation
As the year turns, Hanoi transforms its streets, lakes and public squares into shared cultural spaces that invite residents and visitors to celebrate together.
THE HANOI TIMES — Ahead of New Year 2026, Hanoi will host an extensive lineup of cultural and artistic events from the city center to outer districts.
The program blends contemporary creativity with traditional heritage, shaping a festive space that is healthy, inclusive, and rich in cultural identity for residents and visitors.
Artistic lighting at Hoan Kiem Lake – Turtle Tower
The artistic lighting program at Hoan Kiem Lake and Turtle Tower will illuminate the evenings from December 24 through January 4, 2026.
Hoan Kiem Lake illuminated to welcome 2026. Photos: Kinhte & Do thi Newspaper
The program will open a citywide series of cultural and artistic activities welcoming the New Year 2026, serving residents of the capital as well as domestic and international visitors.
According to the Hoan Kiem Ward People’s Committee, the initiative aims to create an additional nighttime cultural destination during the year-end festive season while subtly enhancing the beauty of the lake and Turtle Tower in harmony with the surrounding heritage setting.
Light will function as an artistic medium that brings energy to the landscape while preserving the site’s symbolic meaning, historical depth and solemn character.
Designers have carefully calibrated color palettes, brightness levels and lighting rhythms to ensure harmony with natural scenery, architecture and the broader heritage environment.
Beyond visual appeal, the lighting seeks to evoke a sense of continuity between the past, the present and the pulse of contemporary urban life.
Digital exhibition space “Hanoi Radiance – Light and Heritage”
The digital exhibition space “Hanoi Radiance – Light and Heritage” will open to the public on the evening of December 26 at the exhibition venue at 93 Dinh Tien Hoang Street, Hoan Kiem Ward.
Digital exhibition “Hanoi Radiance - Light and Heritage”.
The exhibition brings Hanoi’s cultural heritage closer to the public through digital technology and contemporary art.
Through digital projection, lighting, interactive elements and multimedia tools, the display tells stories of the city’s history, collective memory and cultural life in vivid and emotionally engaging ways.
Unlike conventional exhibitions, the space adopts the concept of “living heritage”, allowing visitors to actively participate, interact and experience the exhibition rather than observe from a distance.
This marks the first time Hanoi presents its history and cultural heritage through an exhibition applying modern digital technologies such as 3D projection, dynamic lighting, interactive environments and virtual reality.
Organizers apply technology selectively and with restraint to maintain aesthetic balance, preserve cultural depth and respect the heritage context of the city center.
The exhibition content highlights the core values shaping Hanoi’s identity, from its millennia-old cultural legacy and distinctive urban spaces to folk traditions and the ambition of a dynamic, creative capital in the digital age.
Through multisensory experiences, the exhibition aims to help the public, especially young people and international visitors, engage with heritage in a more accessible, intuitive and emotionally resonant way.
The digital exhibition space “Hanoi Radiance – Light and Heritage” will remain open free of charge to residents and visitors throughout the New Year 2026 celebrations.
Hanoi Countdown 2026
Hanoi Countdown 2026, one of the capital’s most anticipated New Year events, will take place from 7:00 PM on December 31, 2025, at Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square, Hoan Kiem Ward.
Thousands of people gather at the Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square for the Countdown night on December 31, 2024.
The event will serve as a large-scale cultural and entertainment highlight of the capital, with Heineken joining as a supporting brand.
Through energetic music performances, the program aims to create shared moments of connection as audiences bid farewell to the old year and welcome the new one in a festive and upbeat atmosphere.
Hanoi Countdown 2026 will feature prominent domestic and international artists representing a broad range of musical styles.
The lineup includes Dong Hung, Ha Le, Van Mai Huong, Bui Cong Nam, Quan AP, LowG, tlinh, Wean Le, Karik, Hoa Minzy and Alan Walker, promising a dynamic New Year’s Eve celebration.
Outskirt areas go vibrant
Alongside major events in the city center, Hanoi will organize a series of art performances across multiple districts from December 30 to January 1, 2026, serving residents throughout the holiday period. Professional city art troupes will present both traditional and contemporary stage works.
Performances will take place at locations including Kieu Phu, Van Dinh, Xuan Phuong, Thong Nhat Park, the area around My Dinh National Stadium, Lac Long Quan Flower Garden, Ha Dong Flower Garden, Vat Lai, Thuong Phuc and Huong Son.
Participating venues and troupes will showcase a wide range of art forms, including cai luong, cheo, spoken drama, music and dance, circus performances and variety entertainment.
According to the plan, the New Year 2026 program series will extend beyond the holiday period and align with major national events, including the 14th National Party Congress, the 96th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of Vietnam and the 2026 Lunar New Year celebrations.
