Hanoi's Old Quarter will be full of traditional cultural vibrancy with a variety of activities in celebration of Tet (Lunar New Year) cultural event.

The program aims to introduce the traditional Tet space, rituals, and activities of the capital city and the northern delta.

The opening program will be held on the morning of January 19 at the Kim Ngan Communal House, 42-44 Hang Bac Street, with the highlight being the Offering Procession and the Planting of the New Year Pole.

The procession to present the offerings at the Communal House started from the Heritage House at 87 Ma May Street, through the Old Quarter to the Kim Ngan Communal House.

Peace blossoms for sale in Hanoi's Old Quarter. Photo: Lai Tan/The Hanoi Times

Participants will parade through the old streets of Hanoi in ao ngu than (traditional  dress), carrying typical Tet offerings such as jam, lotus tea, banh chung (glutinous square cake), com (young sticky rice cake), and peach blossoms. The people performing the ceremony wear ao tac (wide-sleevedshirt), while the rest wear ao tay chen (short-sleeved dress).

After important rituals such as the ceremony of reporting to the tutelary god, worshiping the founders of the traditional trade, and planting the New Year pole, artisans will perform calligraphy and folk music.

Activities under the Vietnamese Tet - Old Quarter's Tet 2025 program will continue until the end of the Tet holiday.

From January 14 to 28, the Phung Hung Mural Space will become a place to showcase handicrafts, folk paintings and other traditional products. Artisans will stage the exhibition and exchange, sharing with the public about the traditional handicrafts.

In particular, Kim Ngan Communal House (42-44 Hang Bac), Heritage House (87 Ma May) and Hanoi Old Quarter Cultural Exchange Center (50 Dao Duy Tu) will be decorated and arranged into traditional Tet spaces, helping visitors experience the atmosphere of Hanoi's old Tet. Exhibitions of paintings, Vietnamese calligraphy, silk painting and lacquer painting will help people learn about traditional culture.

A highlight not to be missed during the Year of the Snake is the traditional music performances held at many locations in Hanoi's Old Quarter.

On the evening of January 28, the New Year's Eve music program to welcome the Year of the Snake will be held in the walking area around Hoan Kiem Lake.

From January 30 to February 2, 2025, artists from the Thang Long Traditional Music Club will perform traditional music programs at the Kim Ngan Community House, the Dong Lac Community House, and the Cultural and Artistic Center, among other venues.

These activities are aimed at preserving and promoting long-standing cultural values, enriching the national cultural identity, and building a Tet space imbued with the flavor of the nation.