The event will take place mainly at the Thang Long Imperial Citadel, aiming to preserve traditional cultural values, develop contemporary expressions of Vietnamese craft villages and promote their heritage at home and internationally.
About 200 international delegates from 40-50 countries and territories across five continents are expected to attend, alongside artisans, skilled craftspeople, designers, businesses, cooperatives, craft village representatives, professional associations and other partners in the handicraft sector.
The main venue will be the Thang Long Imperial Citadel. Themed activities, hands-on experiences and tourism programmes will also be held at the Vietnam Craft Village Quintessence Centre, selected craft villages in Hanoi and other locations across the city.
Covering about 10,000 square metres, the festival will feature exhibition and demonstration areas showcasing Vietnamese and international craft products, as well as entries in handicraft competitions. Other spaces will focus on craft preservation, creative design, digital transformation, net-zero initiatives, photography, flowers and ornamental plants, culture, cuisine, interactive experiences and commercial stalls.
The opening ceremony is scheduled for 7 pm on November 14. Exhibitions, demonstrations and displays of craft products will run throughout the festival, from November 13-16.
On the morning of November 14, an investment promotion conference for rural industry products is due to take place at the Vietnam Craft Village Quintessence Centre in Bat Trang.
That afternoon, leaders of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment and the Hanoi People’s Committee are expected to meet representatives of the World Crafts Council, international organisations and domestic and overseas localities attending the festival.
On November 15, a creative design and artisan-designer networking programme linked to the Asia-Pacific Handicraft Product Competition is scheduled at the Thang Long Imperial Citadel. A cultural exchange and fashion showcase featuring Vietnamese and international handicrafts will follow at 7 pm.
Related events will include Hanoi’s first 2026 craft village product competition and artisan awards, the 2026 Vietnam handicraft competition, cultural performances and exchange programmes, and hands-on visits to craft villages in Hanoi and Ninh Binh Province.
