Thái Nguyên will promote its tea plant and culture through the International Tea Festival - Thái Nguyên 2026 from October 30 to November 7. —VNS Photo Đoàn Tùng

THÁI NGUYÊN — The International Tea Festival - Thái Nguyên 2026 will be held later this month to serve up steaming kettles of the region's finest tea specimens in a move to celebrate its steeped culture. 

Thái Nguyên has long been known as Việt Nam's largest tea area. Currently, farmers are growing the plants on 22,000 ha, with a target of 25,000ha in the coming years.  

The province's communes are famed for tea cultivation traditions, with Tân Cương, La Bằng, Đồng Hỷ, Vô Trang and Đồng Phúc honoured as the Five Great Teas of Thái Nguyên.

Themed 'Thái Nguyên - The Finest Tea', the festival will run from October 30 to November 7. As the first and largest event of its kind in the region, it features a wide range of activities designed to attract local and international visitors, businesses, and enterprises.

It also celebrates Thái Nguyên's 195th anniversary on November 4.

Farmers pick tea leaves of Shan Tuyết tea tree in Đồng Phúc Commune, pne of Thái Nguyên's best five tea brands. — VNA/VNS Photo

Vice Chairwoman of the provincial People's Committee Nguyễn Thị Loan said: "The festival is an opportunity to express gratitude and honour labour of artisan-farmers, cooperatives and businesses who have preserved and developed Thái Nguyên's The Finest Tea brand."

"We expect that the festival is not only a cultural event but a bridge to connect the tea heritage with economic development in Thái Nguyên and other localities, and tea culture and the tea economy."  

Loan said the province also wanted to expand the cultivation area and range of tea products meeting organic, VietGAP, and OCOP standards, while strengthening connections between tea growers and domestic and international enterprises, partners, and manufacturers to enhance the products' economic value.

Boosters want to hold the festival annually or biennially to market tea tourism for long-term economic impact.  

Thái Nguyên tea is one of the nation's most famous brands for its bold and distinct flavour. — VNS Photo

The Five Great Teas communes plan to develop their tourism programmes to allow visitors to directly experience the tea-growing region, tea culture, and the daily lives of tea growers.

At the launch, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyễn Minh Hằng said tea was not only a typical cultural aspect of the country but also a story that the country could tell international friends about. These can be stories about its farming traditions, indigenous knowledge, and community culture, as well as advancements in science and technology, green production, and sustainable development.

Hằng said the festival would play a role in fostering trade and international integration, helping Việt Nam's tea industry to further involve in the global green value chain and supply chain. At the same time, local businesses could find opportunities to connect with foreign partners for better exports, market expansion, green technology transfer, investment, and tourism development. 

She believed the festival would help connect international friends and expand cooperation, thereby spreading the value of and elevating the status of the Thái Nguyên and Vietnamese tea industries. This event would affirm that Việt Nam was not only a leading exporter of agricultural products but also a nation possessing a unique cultural heritage, a commitment to peace, and a spirit of hospitality.

Vibrant activities 

Many activities will be organised during the nine-day festival, which will make Thái Nguyên more than a hub of tea.

The opening ceremony will be held on October 30 at the Võ Nguyên Giáp Square. It will be a night of awards and honours, along with music and dance performances, a street parade and a 10-minute fireworks display.  

Visitors to Thái Nguyên during the festival will have opportunities to join in tea-making with local farmers. — VNS Photo Anh Đoàn

There will be the awarding of the government's First-class Labour Order to the Party Committee, authorities, and people of Thái Nguyên, and an announcement of the decision by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to inscribe "Knowledge of Thái Nguyên tea cultivation and processing" on the National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage. 

The province will launch the Heritage Train linking stations from Thái Nguyên to Hà Nội. The train will make its inaugural run on October 30 from Hà Nội and then maintain a frequency of two round trips per week on weekends. 

An international tea forum and promotion of international cooperation in tea industry development will be held on November 1. 

It will be a business networking opportunity to popularise Thái Nguyên tea products and brands, plus strengthen ties between localities, organisations and enterprises. 

Thái Nguyên is expected to expand their tea area to 25,000ha in the next couple of years. — Photo daidoanket.vn

The exhibition Thái Nguyên 195 Years: Achievements in Integration and Development will show the history and milestones of the province through photos and documents at the provincial Cultural Centre. 

It will display local cultural heritage and revolutionary traditions, outstanding socio-economic achievements, science and technology, digital transformation, and external relations will be on display. The value of the tea plant and tea culture will be introduced alongside the development of the 'Thái Nguyên – The Finest Tea' brand in the context of international integration.

A Việt Nam Master Tea Contest will honour the art of tea preparation and individuals with skills, knowledge and creativity.

Other events include a tea-tasting and cultural exchange with a special guest, artistic performances, a folk singing and dance programme, plus a golf tournament before the closing ceremony on November 7. — VNS