Latest áo dài designs will be showcased at the Hà Nội Tourism Áo Dài Festival 2025. —VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Hundreds of locals and tourists in áo dài (Vietnamese traditional dress) will join a parade around Hoàn Kiếm Lake as part of the Hà Nội Tourism Áo Dài Festival 2025 that is set to take place in Hà Nội on November 7-9.

This is an annual activity of the city aimed at promoting tourism in the capital while honouring, preserving, and spreading the unique intangible cultural values of the Vietnamese traditional dress.

The festival is also expected to contribute to nurturing the love for áo dài, raising community awareness, especially among the youth, about preserving and promoting national cultural identity; while also affirming Hà Nội’s image as a safe, friendly, high-quality, and attractive tourist destination.

Within its three days of organisation, the Hà Nội Áo Dài Tourism Festival 2025 will offer locals and tourists a vibrant cultural space where the beauty of the national attire is celebrated through performances, exhibitions, exchanges, and creative experiences.

The festival will kick off with a special art programme themed Hà Nội Áo Dài – Shining Heritage at the Hà Nội Museum on November 7. The event will gather artisans, designers, models, and renowned artists, presenting elaborate performances where the áo dài emerges as a symbol of harmony between tradition and modernity, connecting Hà Nội with all regions of the country in the spirit of heritage.

Additionally, the children's áo dài show titled I Love Hà Nội will capture the pure and innocent essence of childhood in Hà Nội. The finals of the design competition Áo Dài – Connecting Heritage will also take place, showcasing unique and creative designs by young talents based on traditional values.

The highlight of the festival is the áo dài parade around Hoàn Kiếm Lake on November 8 that will include a reenactment of the procession honouring the craft ancestors of the Trạch Xá Village, renowned for tailor-made áo dài. It will gather hundreds of locals and tourists in traditional attire, creating a vibrant scene in the heart of the capital.

Visitors to Hà Nội on this occasion are invited to dress in áo dài to experience a double-decker bus tour entitled Touching Autumn in Hà Nội. The trip will take them through famous landmarks to capture photos of poetic moments of Hà Nội’s most beautiful season.

Especially, 350 women will don stunning áo dài and dance together to the melodies of Hà Nội Niềm Tin Và Hy Vọng (Hà Nội – Confidence and Hope) and Vũ Điệu Áo Dài (Áo Dài Dance) in the programme Women of the Capital Integrate and Develop. Their performance will create a vivid picture that honours the beauty, resilience, and spirit of integration of Vietnamese women.

“The annual Hà Nội Áo Dài Tourism Festival is hoped to continue stories about the áo dài as a “Tourism Ambassador' and a 'Cultural Heritage',” said Deputy Director of the Hà Nội’s Department of Tourism, Nguyễn Trần Quang.

Deputy Director of the Hà Nội’s Department of Tourism, Nguyễn Trần Quang, speaks at the press conference. —VNA/VNS Photo

“It will not only be a cultural event but also an important impetus to promote tourism in the capital, affirming the image of Hà Nội as a safe, friendly, high-quality, and attractive destination,” he added. — VNS