Latest ao dai designs will be showcased at the Hanoi Tourism Ao Dai Festival 2025.
The annual event aims to promote tourism while celebrating the cultural heritage of Vietnam’s traditional dress. Organisers say it also seeks to nurture pride in Ao Dai among younger generations and reinforce Hanoi’s image as a safe, friendly and culturally rich destination.
Over three days, the festival will host performances, exhibitions and community activities showcasing Ao Dai as a link between past and present.
The opening ceremony, themed Hanoi Ao Dai-Shining Heritage, will take place on November 7 at the Hanoi Museum. Artisans, designers, models and artists will present programmes highlighting Ao Dai as a symbol of national identity and cultural continuity across regions.
A children’s showcase, I Love Hanoi, will feature young participants wearing Ao Dai, while the finals of the Ao Dai-Connecting Heritage design contest will spotlight new interpretations by emerging designers.
The highlight of the festival is a parade around Hoan Kiem Lake on November 8. The event will recreate a ceremony honouring craft ancestors from Trach Xa Village, renowned for its bespoke Ao Dai tailoring. Hundreds of residents and tourists are expected to take part, turning the lakefront into a colourful cultural display.
Visitors will also be invited to join Touching Autumn in Hanoi, a double-decker bus tour encouraging participants to wear Ao Dai while travelling past major landmarks during one of the city’s most picturesque seasons.
Another large performance, Women of the Capital Integrate and Develop, will see 350 women dancing in Ao Dai to honour the strength and grace of Vietnamese women.
Nguyen Tran Quang, Deputy Director of Hanoi’s Department of Tourism, said the festival helps position Ao Dai as both cultural heritage and a tourism ambassador.
“This is more than a cultural celebration. It provides momentum for tourism development and reinforces Hanoi’s image as a safe, friendly and high-quality destination,” he said.
