Hoi An Events Calendar 2026–2027: Festival Dates & What’s On
Every official Hoi An event with a fixed date, from the Mid-Autumn Festival this September to Tet 2027 — plus the monthly full-moon lantern nights and the big Da Nang shows within an hour’s ride.
Hoi An runs on two calendars. The official one — published each December by the Da Nang Department of Tourism — fixes the dates of the Tet fair, the Nguyen Tieu lantern festival, the Japan exchange, Creative Week and the new International Lantern Festival. The lunar one fixes everything else: the 14th-night lantern evenings, the whale festival at Cua Dai, the pottery and carpentry ancestor days. This page merges both, in date order, so you can plan a trip around a real event rather than a vague “festival season”.
What’s on next: September 2026 to February 2027
Dates below come from the official Da Nang 2026 events list (published 1 December 2025) and the organisers’ announcements; lunar dates for 2027 are converted from the lunar calendar and may shift by a day when the official 2027 list appears.
Hoi An Mid-Autumn Festival (Tet Trung Thu)
Four days around the 15th of the 8th lunar month. The 2025 edition set the pattern: a “Full Moon Night” of lion, unicorn and dragon dances at Hoi An Park at 7 pm, “Music and Moonlight” folk concerts at 106 Bach Dang, an “Old Town night” evening that recreates early-20th-century street life with all electric lights off, and a children’s lantern procession through the Ancient Town at 5:30 pm on the final day. Expect the streets to be at their busiest of the autumn.
Full-moon lantern nights (14th lunar day)
The long-running “Old Town night”: electric lights switched off, silk lanterns lit, folk games and music on the streets and floating lanterns on the Hoai river. Held on the 14th day of every lunar month — see the full date list in № 02.
Vietnam Cultural Heritage Day activities
Two weeks of exhibitions and performances marking Vietnam Cultural Heritage Day (23 November) and the anniversary of Hoi An’s UNESCO listing on 4 December 1999. The detailed programme is announced shortly beforehand.
Da Nang International Lantern Festival 2026
Hoi An’s first international lantern festival, organised by the Da Nang City People’s Committee: an opening ceremony performed on the water, around fifteen large-scale lantern art installations, lantern-making zones, a lantern and handicraft revival exhibition, heritage art programmes, local food, and photography and lantern-design contests. The installations are planned to stay up through Lunar New Year 2027, so December visitors get the festival and January visitors still get the lights.
Christmas in Hoi An
Two evenings of Christmas decorations and programmes in the Ancient Town, listed on the official city calendar for 24–25 December.
Da Nang New Year Festival
The city-wide countdown programme listed Hoi An Dong and Hoi An Tay among its 2026 venues. Exact 2027 dates will be in the Da Nang list published in December; expect the same window.
Hoi An Tet Festival and “Tet Xua Pho Hoi” market
Lunar New Year 2027 — the Year of the Goat — falls on Saturday 6 February. The Tet fair and the “old-time Tet” market with calligraphy, banh tet and flower stalls run for roughly a week either side of the day itself. Book bikes and rooms early — this is the one week of the year when Hoi An sells out.
Tra Que “Cau Bong” ceremony and Kim Bong craft village day
Two village festivals in the first lunar week: the Cau Bong crop-blessing procession in Tra Que on the 7th, and the founders’ ceremony plus carpentry craft fair in Kim Bong on the 12th (28 February in 2026). Both are a short ride from town and very local.
Nguyen Tieu Lantern Festival 2027
The first full moon of the lunar year, celebrated by Hoi An’s Chinese assembly halls with lantern displays, offerings and the biggest full-moon night of the year. The official programme usually spans three or four days around the 15th.
Full-moon lantern nights: exact dates
The “Old Town night” is held on the 14th day of each lunar month. Dates converted from the lunar calendar — Hoi An sometimes shifts or extends the programme around Tet and Mid-Autumn, so treat the last week of each month as the window and these as the anchor dates.
| Lunar month | Full-moon night | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 8th (2026) | Thu 24 Sep 2026 | Inside the Mid-Autumn Festival (23–26 Sep) |
| 9th | Fri 23 Oct 2026 | |
| 10th | Sun 22 Nov 2026 | Opening weekend of Heritage Day activities |
| 11th | Tue 22 Dec 2026 | International Lantern Festival installations still up |
| 12th | Thu 21 Jan 2027 | Two weeks before Tet |
| 1st (2027) | Fri 19 Feb 2027 | Eve of Nguyen Tieu — the biggest night of the year |
| 2nd | Sun 21 Mar 2027 | |
| 3rd | Tue 20 Apr 2027 | |
| 4th | Wed 19 May 2027 | Vesak week |
| 5th | Fri 18 Jun 2027 | |
| 6th | Sat 17 Jul 2027 | |
| 7th | Sun 15 Aug 2027 | Vu Lan (Wandering Souls) the next day |
| 8th | Tue 14 Sep 2027 | Mid-Autumn 2027 (full moon 15 Sep) |
The official 2026 Hoi An calendar
Every Hoi An entry in the Da Nang Department of Tourism’s 2026 list, plus the Cham Islands and My Son items. Past events are kept because most repeat every year on the same slot.
| Dates 2026 | Event | Where |
|---|---|---|
| 30 Dec 2025 – 3 Jan | Da Nang New Year Festival 2026 | incl. Hoi An Dong & Hoi An Tay wards |
| 9–26 Feb | Hoi An Tet Festival & “Tet Xua Pho Hoi” market (Tet 17 Feb) | Hoi An, Hoi An Dong, Hoi An Tay |
| 17 Feb – 30 Apr | Light & Heritage Festival | Hoi An Memories Island |
| 27–28 Feb | Founders’ ceremony & Kim Bong craft village day | Kim Bong, Cam Kim |
| 1–4 Mar | Nguyen Tieu Lantern Festival | Ancient Town |
| 26 Apr | Swiftlet-nest trade ancestor festival | Cham Islands (Tan Hiep) |
| 30 Apr – 1 May | “Colours of Cham Heritage” festival | My Son Sanctuary |
| 22–24 May | 22nd Hoi An – Japan Cultural Exchange | Ancient Town |
| 26–31 May | Vesak (Buddha’s Birthday) celebrations | Hoi An ward |
| 6–7 Jun | 8th “Let’s Cycle” Week – Hoi An 2026 | Hoi An, Hoi An Dong, Hoi An Tay |
| 1–2 Aug | Co Co River Festival – Hoi An Tay 2026 | Hoi An Tay ward |
| 6 Aug (lunar 24/6) | Quan Cong (Chua Ong) worship ceremony | Quan Cong Temple, 24 Tran Phu |
| 22 Aug (lunar 10/7) | Thanh Ha pottery ancestor festival | Thanh Ha pottery village |
| 28 Aug – 2 Sep | Hoi An Creative Week 2026 — “Touching Heritage, Touching Creativity” | Song Hoai Square, An Hoi Sculpture Garden, Ancient Town |
| 23–26 Sep | Mid-Autumn Festival 2026 | Hoi An, Hoi An Dong, Hoi An Tay |
| 23 Nov – 7 Dec | Vietnam Cultural Heritage Day activities | Ancient Town |
| 3–6 Dec | Da Nang International Lantern Festival 2026 | Song Hoai Square, An Hoi Sculpture Garden |
| 24–25 Dec | Christmas in Hoi An | Ancient Town |
Lunar-calendar festivals and their 2027 dates
These move with the moon. Converted dates for 2027; the official programme normally wraps a day or two either side.
| Festival | Lunar date | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tet (Lunar New Year) | 1/1 | 17 Feb | 6 Feb |
| Tra Que Cau Bong ceremony | 7/1 | 23 Feb | 12 Feb |
| Kim Bong founders’ day & craft fair | 12/1 | 28 Feb | 17 Feb |
| Nguyen Tieu Lantern Festival | 15/1 | 3 Mar | 20 Feb |
| Whale Worship (Cau Ngu) at Cua Dai | 16/2 | 3 Apr | 23 Mar |
| Swiftlet-nest ancestor festival, Cham Islands | 10/3 | 26 Apr | 16 Apr |
| Vesak | 15/4 | 31 May | 20 May |
| Quan Cong worship ceremony | 24/6 | 6 Aug | 27 Jul |
| Thanh Ha pottery ancestor festival | 10/7 | 22 Aug | 11 Aug |
| Vu Lan / Wandering Souls Day | 15/7 | 27 Aug | 16 Aug |
| Mid-Autumn Festival | 15/8 | 25 Sep | 15 Sep |
For the stories behind each of these — what actually happens at the whale temple, why the assembly halls compete at Nguyen Tieu — see our separate guide to the top 10 Hoi An festivals. This page is the calendar; that one is the explainer.
Big Da Nang events within an hour’s ride
Since the 2025 merger Hoi An is a ward of Da Nang city, and the city’s headline events are a straightforward ride up the coast road. Distances measured on Google Maps from our shop at 84 Phan Chau Trinh.
| Event | Dates 2026 | Venue | From Hoi An |
|---|---|---|---|
| Da Nang International Marathon | 20–22 Mar | East Sea Park (Bien Dong Park) | 25.5 km · 48 min |
| Da Nang Ao Dai Festival | 24–26 Apr | Han riverbanks | ≈ 28 km · 51 min |
| IRONMAN 70.3 Vietnam | 10 May | City beaches and roads | 25.5 km · 48 min |
| Da Nang Food Tour | 20–24 May | An Hai ward | ≈ 26 km |
| DIFF – International Fireworks Festival | 30 May – 11 Jul, Saturday nights | Han River port | 28.3 km · 51 min to the Dragon Bridge |
| DANAFF – Da Nang Asian Film Festival | 28 Jun – 4 Jul | Hai Chau ward | ≈ 28 km |
| Vietnam – Japan Festival | 9–12 Jul | East Sea Park | 25.5 km · 48 min |
| Vietnam – Korea Festival | 6–9 Aug | An Hai ward / East Sea Park | 25.5 km · 48 min |
| “Colours of Cham Heritage” festival | 30 Apr – 1 May | My Son Sanctuary | 37.6 km · 1 hr |
On DIFF nights the Dragon Bridge closes to traffic from 20:45 — our Dragon Bridge guide covers the fire-show times and where to park. The ride itself is described in Hoi An to Da Nang by scooter; allow extra time on event nights because the coast road fills up after 9 pm. Summer visitors should also see the beach festivals down the coast.
Practical: closures, parking, getting around
- The Ancient Town is pedestrian-only during events. The core streets (Tran Phu, Nguyen Thai Hoc, Bach Dang, Le Loi) are closed to motorbikes in the pedestrian hours every day and for the whole programme on festival nights. Park on the ring roads and walk — it is 450 m, about six minutes on foot, from our shop to Song Hoai Square.
- Book for Tet and Mid-Autumn. Rooms in the Old Town sell out for the week of Tet; bikes go the same way. Reserve delivery a week ahead for 5–14 February 2027 and 23–26 September 2026.
- Most events are free. Full-moon nights, Mid-Autumn, the lantern festival, Christmas and the village ceremonies cost nothing beyond the Old Town entrance ticket if you visit the heritage houses. The ticketed exception is the Hoi An Memories Show, which runs nightly on Memories Island regardless of the calendar.
- Village festivals are early. Cau Bong, Kim Bong and the whale festival begin early in the morning with the ceremony and procession — arrive before 8 am or you will see the fair, not the rite.
- Rain season is October–December. Heritage Day and the December lantern festival can coincide with high water on Bach Dang. Our flood-season guide explains what closes.
- Getting around: a 50cc scooter or electric bike needs no licence and covers Tra Que, Kim Bong, Thanh Ha and the beach wards; for Da Nang events a 125cc with a valid licence is more comfortable. See how to get around Hoi An.
Coming for a festival?
Tell us your dates and we will say which events fall inside them, deliver the bike to your hotel and tell you where to park on closure nights.
84 Phan Chau Trinh, Hoi An · free hotel delivery · 24/7 supportFAQ about Hoi An events
What events are on in Hoi An in the rest of 2026?
The Mid-Autumn Festival on 23–26 September, Vietnam Cultural Heritage Day activities from 23 November to 7 December, the first Da Nang International Lantern Festival in Hoi An on 3–6 December, Christmas in the Ancient Town on 24–25 December, and the full-moon lantern nights on 24 September, 23 October, 22 November and 22 December.
When is the Hoi An Lantern Festival?
There are three things people mean by it. The monthly full-moon lantern night is on the 14th day of each lunar month (next: 24 September, 23 October, 22 November 2026). The Nguyen Tieu Lantern Festival is on the first full moon of the lunar year — 1–4 March 2026 and around 20 February 2027. The new Da Nang International Lantern Festival is on 3–6 December 2026 at Song Hoai Square.
When is Tet 2027 and what happens in Hoi An?
Lunar New Year 2027 falls on Saturday 6 February 2027. Hoi An holds a Tet festival and an “old-time Tet” market for roughly a week either side (the 2026 edition ran 9–26 February), followed by the Tra Que Cau Bong ceremony on 12 February, the Kim Bong craft village day on 17 February and the Nguyen Tieu Lantern Festival around 20 February.
Is the Hoi An Mid-Autumn Festival worth planning a trip around?
Yes if you like crowds and lanterns: four evenings (23–26 September 2026) of lion and dragon dances, a lantern procession through the Ancient Town and the “Old Town night” with all electric lights off. Book accommodation and bikes ahead; the Old Town streets are closed to vehicles for the whole programme.
Are Hoi An festivals free?
Almost all of them. Full-moon nights, Mid-Autumn, Nguyen Tieu, the International Lantern Festival, Christmas, Creative Week and the village ceremonies are free to attend. You pay only for the Old Town heritage ticket if you enter the old houses and assembly halls, for floating lanterns, and for ticketed shows such as Hoi An Memories.
How far is Hoi An from the Da Nang fireworks festival (DIFF)?
About 28 km, or 51 minutes by motorbike, from 84 Phan Chau Trinh to the Dragon Bridge area. DIFF 2026 ran on Saturday nights from 30 May to 11 July at the Han River port; the 2027 dates will be in the Da Nang calendar published in December 2026.
Can I ride a motorbike in the Ancient Town during a festival?
No. The core streets are pedestrian-only in the daily pedestrian hours and for the whole programme on festival nights. Park on the ring roads — Hai Ba Trung, Phan Chau Trinh or the Nguyen Hoang side — and walk in; it is about six minutes on foot from our shop to Song Hoai Square.
Updated 5 September 2026 by Anh Khoa Hoi An, 84 Phan Chau Trinh. Fixed-date events follow the Da Nang Department of Tourism’s 2026 events list (published 1 December 2025) and organisers’ announcements; 2027 lunar dates are calendar conversions and the official 2027 list will confirm them in December 2026. Distances measured on Google Maps. Hoi An has been a ward of Da Nang city since 1 July 2025.
