On the opening day of the first Spring Fair 2026, themed "Connecting Prosperity - Welcoming a Glorious Spring", a large number of residents and tourists flocked to shop, enjoy, and visit stalls showcasing distinctive cultural features from Vietnam's northern, central, and southern regions.
In the Ho Chi Minh City stalls area, the entrance was adorned with an eye-catching miniature landscape, featuring a large horse model, the zodiac animal for the upcoming 2026 Lunar New Year.
Inside, the stalls were uniquely and attractively decorated, evoking the atmosphere of old Saigon.
Many distinctive fruits from Dong Thap Province were on sale at the Spring Fair. These products were transported to the Vietnam Exposition Centre (VEC) in Dong Anh Commune, Hanoi, in advance to meet end-of-year shopping demands.
"The fruits here are the most characteristic varieties from our province, carefully preserved and transported over 1,000 kilometres to Hanoi for the fair. As they are completely fresh and clean, they can be displayed under normal weather conditions for about 10 days," said Hoa, an employee of the Dong Thap Province Agricultural Extension and Trade Promotion Centre.
Prominently featured in the Vinh Long Province stall was a large boat setting sail, laden with various local products and tropical fruits characteristic of the region.
Characteristic Hoi An ancient streets, with lanterns and moss-covered yellow walls, were recreated within the Danang City stall.
Notably, the Golden Bridge on Ba Na Hills in Danang, a famous Vietnamese tourist icon, was also vividly recreated and highlighted at the fair.
Images of products from the vibrant Thuy Xuan incense village and the renowned Thanh Tien paper flower village of Hue also featured at the Spring Fair 2026.
Local specialities and traditional dishes from northern provinces, such as banh chung, com, and green bean cakes, were also on sale and attracted many visitors.
Additionally, many fruits cultivated and harvested by Vietnamese farmers, certified with OCOP status, were available at the fair.
The stall for Chuong Village conical hats (Thanh Oai Commune), one of Hanoi's famous traditional craft villages for generations.
Pham Thi Van, a conical hat artisan from Chuong Village with 40 years of experience, both sells products and crafts hats directly at the stall, showcasing the essence of her village's craft to visitors.
Additionally, many cultural identities and unique spaces from stalls of northwestern provinces such as Son La, Lang Son, and Dien Bien also attracted visitors for sightseeing and photo opportunities.
Without travelling to Son La, visitors can still take photos with yellow mustard flowers and white plum blossoms right at the Spring Fair in Hanoi.
At many stalls, people can easily scan QR codes to find information and product catalogues. They can also make quick payments via QR code after purchasing.
The fair is organised as a cross-Vietnam spring journey, bringing together economic, cultural, and creative values, comprising nine main sections: Ho Chi Minh City space as the journey's starting point; the Spring Homeland Tour - Products from Four Directions; Vietnamese Agricultural Products; Prosperous Spring; an exhibition of textile, footwear, wood, and handicraft value chains; Hanoi Tet Sum Vay space; Quintessence of Vietnamese Culture; an outdoor culinary experience area "Connecting Spring Flavours"; and the Vietnamese Spring Colours space displaying flowers, ornamental plants, and living creatures for Tet shopping.