The Cultural Festival for Peace is slated for October  6, 2024 in the Hoan Kiem District of downtown Hanoi, promoting the capital's most unique cultural features.

The festival is part of a series of events commemorating the 70th anniversary of the capital's Liberation [October 10, 1954 - 2024] and the 1014th anniversary of King Ly Thai To's relocation of the capital to Thang Long [present-day Hanoi]. 

Dragon and unicorn parade in Hanoi's Thanh Oai district in 2023 with 600 performers, 30 dragons, 30 unicorns and 30 percussionists. Photo: VNA

The festival is expected to see the attendance of 10,000 people, including 700 local and foreign guests. Numerous activities will be held on the main stage at the King Ly Thai To Monument site and sub-stages at Ba Kieu Temple Garden, Dong Kinh-Nghia Thuc Square, the Vietnam Contemporary Arts Theatre, and the Le Thai To-Ba Trieu-Trang Thi-Hang Khay intersection.

The event will promote the beauty and richness of Thang Long-Hanoi culture, especially performances and parades, including drum performances combined with flag dances and dragon dances; an introduction of Hanoi's UNESCO-inscribed cultural heritage elements; and the recreation of intangible cultural heritage such as tug-of-war, Phu My-Kieu Mai festival, Thi Cam rice cooking, and Mo Muong social customs and beliefs, among others.

Typical religious heritage, folk performances, culinary culture, and traditional craft villages of Hanoi will also be represented during the festival.

The Peace Cultural Festival will consist of three parts. The first one is a live scene recreating the historical image of the capital and performing the medley "Legend of Hoan Kiem Lake - Hanoi People - October Feelings - Hanoi Spirit - Singing the Ideals of Youth".

In the second part, 500 soldiers will take part in a reenactment of the army's march into the capital in 1954. The last part is a performance and parade with the themes "Hanoi on Victory Day", "Hanoi - the flow of heritage" and "Hanoi - the City for Peace - the Creative City".