A street parade featuring thousands of participants, including puppetry artists and artisans, at the 3rd Hải Phòng Expanded Puppetry Festival in 2025. — Photo courtesy of the Thăng Long Water Puppetry Theatre

HÀ NỘI — More than 3,000 artists and performers will descend on the northern port city of Hải Phòng this week for a major puppetry festival, underscoring the enduring appeal of Việt Nam’s traditional arts and their role in modern cultural life.

The 4th Hải Phòng Expanded Puppetry Festival will run from May 8 to 12, bringing together troupes from across the country in a showcase of craftsmanship, storytelling and performance.

Organised by the Hải Phòng Traditional Theatre, the event forms part of the Red Flamboyant Festival – Hải Phòng 2026, marking the 71st anniversary of Hải Phòng’s Liberation Day (13/5/1955 – 13/5/2026). It is positioned as both a public celebration and a cultural initiative aimed at safeguarding intangible heritage.

According to the organiser, the festival has evolved into a professional platform for artisans, artists and puppetry troupes nationwide to connect and exchange expertise. It also seeks to raise public awareness, particularly among younger generations, of the country’s cultural roots.

At the same time, the event offers an opportunity to present Hải Phòng’s distinctive cultural identity to domestic and international visitors, with the aim of supporting tourism and contributing to broader socio-economic development.

Water puppetry – a unique folk art form embodying the creativity and spirit of the Vietnamese people. — Photo nhandan.vn

This year’s edition continues to expand in scale and content, bringing together more than 3,000 artists, performers, artisans and residents for a wide range of artistic parades and cultural activities. Ten professional theatres and art troupes, along with leading water-puppet guilds from across the country, will also take part.

Over the five-day programme, audiences can look forward to a lively mix of performances, including standout puppetry shows, outdoor showcases, community interaction activities and large-scale artistic parades. Together, they create a dynamic cultural landscape where art becomes part of the city’s everyday rhythm.

A puppetry performance staged at the 3rd Hải Phòng Expanded Puppetry Festival in 2025. — Photo daibieunhandan.vn

A particular highlight is the outdoor thủy đình (pavilion on the water) stage, dedicated to traditional Vietnamese water puppetry, a unique folk art form that embodies the creativity and spirit of the Vietnamese people.

Through classic repertoire pieces, audiences not only enjoy the craftsmanship but also connect with deep cultural values expressed through scenes of daily life and timeless reflections on human experience. These qualities have allowed water puppetry to endure across generations and continue to resonate with contemporary audiences.

At last year’s 3rd edition, the festival brought together more than 200 artists and artisans from five professional theatres and art troupes, along with three water-puppet guilds from various provinces and cities nationwide, to perform for the people of the port city. — VNS