Why is Hue Named the Festival City? A Prominent Cultural and Traditional Destination in Vietnam

In 1992, the idea of a cultural festival was sparked from the "Franco-Vietnamese Encounter" event in Hue. With the support of the French Government, this idea became a reality in 2000 with the first-ever Hue Festival. This was a landmark event, opening a new chapter for the cultural and tourism development of the ancient capital land.

Initially, Hue Festival was held biennially. However, each festival edition carried its own message and an indelible mark. For example:

• Hue Festival 2000: Featuring the message "Hue - City of the Art of Living", this was considered the "Revival Festival" following the historic flood in 1999.
• Hue Festival 2002: The unique Ao Dai Festival on Truong Tien Bridge left a profound impression, from which the phrase "Hue - Vietnam's Festival City" began to be widely mentioned.
• Hue Festival 2006: Celebrated 700 years of the land's history by reenacting key royal festivals such as the Nam Giao Offering Ritual and Royal Palace Night, affirming the status of a festival rich in national identity and international stature.

Through many editions with distinct impressions, Hue Festival is not just a cultural event but has become a brand defining an ancient capital that always knows how to renew itself, turning heritage into contemporary vitality.

An important highlight in the development journey of Hue Festival is the change in its organizational model. Since 2022, Thua Thien Hue has oriented the organization of the festival under the "Four Seasons Festival" format. Instead of taking place only once every two years, festivals are now spread throughout the year, maximizing the local rich treasury of around 500 large and small festivals.

• Spring: Kicks off with the Ban Soc Ceremony reenacting traditional rituals of the Nguyen Dynasty, creating a festive atmosphere.
• Summer: Highlights the Hue International Art Festival Week, bringing together performing troupes from five continents to showcase the diversity of traditional and contemporary culture.
• Autumn: Associated with the Traditional Craft Festival Week, honoring the traditional craft villages of Hue and Vietnam.
• Winter: Concludes the year with a New Year Countdown program, creating a vibrant cultural and entertainment space.

This model helps Hue become a year-round cultural destination, attracting tourists and creating festival tourism products with unique appeal.

The spirit of Hue Festival is to preserve identity and traditional cultural characteristics, yet the presentation methods are always fresh. Art programs take place not only in royal spaces like the Imperial Citadel and Kien Trung Palace, but also spread out to the community. This turns local residents and visitors into both creative subjects and beneficiaries.

• High-quality programs (IN): Concentrated in signature spaces of the ancient capital such as the Imperial Citadel, Kien Trung Palace, and An Dinh Palace, featuring elaborately reenacted royal performances and folk festivals.
• Community programs (OFF): Take place extensively across the city and surrounding areas, featuring events like the "Countryside Market on Festival Days" at Thanh Toan Tile-Roofed Bridge, "Tam Giang Waves", or art programs reaching audiences such as hospital patients and remote communities.

Hue Festival is also a bridge between the past and present. The intersection of traditional and modern culture, alongside the application of technology in presentation, has rendered Hue's core cultural values more suitable for youth and integration demands. Thanks to this, Hue is not only a heritage city, but also a creative cultural space.

With its remarkable achievements, Hue Festival has become a cultural and artistic festival of national scale and international stature. It contributes not only to preserving and promoting the values of Hue's and Vietnam's cultural heritage, but also creates jobs and brings material and spiritual prosperity to the local people. Therefore, the title "Festival City" for Hue is entirely deserved, affirming its standing as a prominent traditional cultural destination in Vietnam.