Mid-Autumn Festival 2017: Events & Celebrations in Hanoi
Vietnam’s Mid-Autumn festival (Tet Trung Thu) dates back to the Rice Civilization of the Red River delta over 4,000 years ago, which worships the God of Earth. Back then, rice was harvested before the 15th day of the 8th lunar month (mid-autumn). While occupied with harvesting parents did not have much time to take care of their children, so they made full use of the festival holiday to spend time with them. Therefore it is the happiest day for children, during which their parents prepare for them various types of lanterns, snacks (including mooncakes) and funny masks.
– adapted from Accent Learning
Tet Trung Thu is only a week away! While it is mostly known as a children’s festival, if you happen to be in Vietnam right now and would like to experience our second-most important holiday tradition (after Tết), take a look at these events:
1. The First Mid-Autumn Festival in Our Heart
Opportunities to enjoy mooncakes made by chefs at the Pan Pacific Hanoi hotel. Not only creative in design, Pan Pacific Hanoi pleases guests with a wide selection of baked mooncake flavours including lotus seed, taro, jambon, green bean, honeydew and pandan with egg yolk. Each mooncake is meticulously hand crafted using the finest ingredients to make it the perfect golden brown delight.
2. Mid-Autumn Festival Celebration at Metropole Hanoi
Sat 30 Sep 2017, 6 – 9 pm
Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi
A classy buffet dinner composed of fine ingredients awaits you at the Spices Garden restaurant of the Metropole Hanoi hotel. Children will get the chance to join in the distinctive activities of the Mid-autumn festival such as lion dance, star-shaped lantern procession, and fruit tray decoration.
3. Mid-Autumn Festival 2017 at Thang Long Imperial Citadel
28 Sep – 04 Oct 2017
Thang Long Imperial Citadel
A celebration of the Mid-Autumn Festival with useful and interesting activities for children. It features a school education programme which helps young kids to understand more about mid-autumn festivals of the past through documented works of the French researchers Henri Oger and Albert Kahn Museum. Children will also have a chance to talk directly to historical and cultural researchers and artisans, and experience the traditional games and craft making process.
4. Mid-Autumn Festival 2017: “The Colors of Dong Thap Province”
30 Sep and 01 Oct 2017
Vietnam Museum of Ethnology
An event where participants learn more about the inland wetland Dong Thap Muoi in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta through its traditional “điệu hò” (chanties), local textile weaving techniques and cuisine. At the center of the event is the traditional activities of the Mid-autumn festival – lion dance, playing folk games, making traditional toys, mooncakes and cốm Vòng (Vietnamese green rice flakes from the famous Vòng village).
5. Mid-Autumn Festival “Under the Moonlight”
Sun 01 Oct 2017, 5 – 8 pm
Quang Ba temple
A celebration of the Mid-Autumn festival combined with the unique space and environment and many other exciting traditional games and activities. Joining the event, you and your families and friends can learn how to make Mid-Autumn festival mooncakes, lamps and traditional toys from glutinous rice (tò he) with artisans, play traditional games, watch lion dances, enjoy a buffet party, and join in lotto and win big prizes.
6. Mid-Autumn Festival Celebration with Improvisational Comedy
Sun 01 Oct 2017, 7.45 – 10 pm
The Rotten Grapes Theater
The event is a special combination of traditional comedy and improvisational comedy: the actors have already been assigned the familiar, traditional roles of “chú Cuội”, “chị Hằng”, “thằng Bờm”, “Phú Ông”, “Tấm”, “Cám”…, yet there are no script and all the dialogues are improvised.
7. Traditional Mid-Autumn Festival’s Toy-Making Workshop
29 and 30 Sep 2017
Creative Lab by UP
A series of workshops on making traditional Mid-autumn festival’ toys for 30 people. Participants will learn to make star-shaped lanterns, lanterns from recycled materials, and painting Mid-autumn festival’s masks for children and adults.
8. Gamuda Lantern Festival
30 Sep – 30 Nov 2017
LePARC by Gamuda
Reconstructing the poetic setting of the central Hoi An City in Hanoi, the event is definitely not-to-be-missed for youngsters who fancy a spot worth “checking-in” – as it appears on their social media pages. Immerse yourself in a light party with thousands of illuminating lanterns – the festival opens on Sep 30 2017, FREE ENTRY for everyone!
9. Full Moon Festival
Sun 01 Oct 2017, 9 am – 8 pm
Gamuda Gardens Club
An unforgettable event for adults and an exciting experience for children with folk games, lion dances, traditional lantern processions and celebrations with chi Hang and chu Cuoi. The festival will also classes on making mooncakes, star lanterns, paper masks and water-puppet art, making this year’s Mid-autumn festival such a nice memory for the kids.
