Mid-Autumn Festival Events & Celebrations
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), swing over here:
1. Full-moon Festival Workshop: Lantern Making with Glass Paper
Fri 09 Sep 2016, 7.30 pm
Sun 11 Sep 2016, 5.30 pm
Blossom Art House
This is a workshop that teaches you to hand make your own lanterns – the indispensable item of the festival. In this workshop, besides the traditional glass paper lantern patterns as stars, birds, butterflies or rabbits, participants will be guided to create patterns of their own creation. There are seats for a maximum of 30 lantern lovers (no age limit), so hurry up and register here before 24h00 08/09/2016!
2. Mid-Autumn Festival 2016 – The Culture of Bac Lieu
10 and 11 Sep 2016, 08:30 – 12:00 and 14:00 – 17:30
Vietnam Museum of Ethnology
Bac Lieu, a coastal province situated in the Mekong Delta region of the southern part of Vietnam, has a very unique Mid-Autumn festival culture. You won’t have to travel all the way there, only pay a visit to the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology and join their program to explore Bac Lieu’s lion dance, crafts, cuisine, and more. Tickets are available at the museum!
3. Mask Festival to Celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival 2016 (for children in HCMC)
Sat 10 Sep 2016, 6 pm – 9 pm
HCMC Fine Arts Museum
Join the event and learn to make traditional Vietnamese Mid-Autumn festival’s masks and paper fans. Bờm – a popular character in the Vietnamese folk culture – will be there. Come say hello!
4. Solo Exhibition “Mid Autumn Night” by Artist Chinh Le
Opening: Thu 15 Sep 2016, 6 pm
Exhibition: 15 Sep – 10 Oct 2016
Art Vietnam Gallery
The Mid Autumn Festival, which occurs on the 15th of the eighth lunar month, is one of the most celebrated days of the lunar calendar. Artist Chinh Le, a devout Zen Buddhist, poet and sculptor, pays tribute to the spirituality of this special night when people come together to celebrate the moment when people, sky and earth combine in harmony through 30 oil paintings and a bronze installation. She brings us to a meditative space, encouraging us to reflect on the beauty of this life with all its mystery and wonder, all the while expressing our gratitude for the very essence of being.
Visit the exhibition to celebrate the mid autumn festival, Tet Trung Thu, and feel the magnificence of human existence.
5. Opportunities to taste Metropole Hanoi’s Legendary Mooncakes
10 August to 15 September
Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi
To celebrate the annual Mid-Autumn festival, Hotel Metropole Hanoi has launched its legendary mooncake collection at L’Epicerie du Metropole. The mooncakes are available for sale from 10 August to 15 September.
Moon cake filling has veered from the traditional in recent years, and truly exotic ingredients have been introduced. In addition to traditional mixes, Hotel Metropole Hanoi has created a variety of new flavours. All Metropole mooncakes are preservative free and hand-baked by Executive Sous Chef Nguyen Thanh Van and her team from authentic recipes and infused with the Metropole’s gourmet touch.
For reservations, please contact Ms. Hang – L’Epicerie Manager at 04 38266919 (extension 8702) during the hours of 7:30 am to 9:30 pm, daily.
Coinciding with the Mid-Autumn festival, the following events are also worth a visit:
7th German Film Festival in Vietnam
18 – 25 Sep 2016
A selection of the newest and most popular films from Germany will be shown in Hanoi, Haiphong, Da Nang, Hue and HCMC. In its 7th annual year, the festival will showcase the remarkable dynamism and creativity of the German film industry, genres ranging from drama to adventure and comedy.
Soundscape “Five Emotions for Hanoi” by Michael Schiefel
26 Aug – 10 Sep 2016, 9 am – 7 pm
Goethe Institut (Hanoi)
Inspired by his trip to Hanoi in early 2016, singer, composer and sound artist Michael Schiefel presents an interactive soundscape based on five different emotions. Together with musician and media expert Fabian Bronner he created a touching and playful acoustic installation that is presented at the Goethe-Institut Hanoi. Each visitor can change the mood of the environment by meandering between five different sound sources, and therefore, discover unexpected changes from happiness to sadness, from anger to satisfaction and from coldness back to happiness!
Vietnam Comics Day 2016 – Hanoi
Sun 11 Sep 2016, 8.30 am – 5 pm
Star Galaxy Center
The annual Vietnam Comics Day – held by Comicola community – celebrates the comic authors in Vietnam and creates a platform for comic lovers. Take photos with the cosplay teams, attend book launches, talk with the authors and make new comic buddies!
Exhibition “One Grand Show!” in HCMC
26 Aug – 21 Sep 2016
Craig Thomas Gallery
A group exhibition of smaller sized works by twenty Vietnamese visual artists, modeled on the well-known affordable art fair format. Eighty percent or more of the art works on display will be priced at US$1,000 or less, and available for purchase.
