Hue Festival 2024 Dates
June 7 to June 12, 2024
The City of Hues - Biennial Cultural Fiesta of Vietnam
Hue City in Vietnam, which is beautifully nestled amidst the Ngu Binh Mountain and stretches along the Huong River is quite famous for its rich culture and historical background. And to experience the best of its traditions and rituals, what’s a better way than being a part of the magnificent biennial Hue Festival? It is one of Vietnam's most widely celebrated festivals, attracting many visitors from all over the world. The festival includes different cultural activities which are related to international cultural exchanges and traditional customs. So, if you are traveling to Vietnam during the Hue Festival, you will be able to get engaged with different activities, and hence, you will feel like a local, even as a tourist.Some Past Traditional Celebrations in Vietnam
The Hue Festival brings together participants from 40 international art bands, which includes a huge number of traditional artists from around 30 countries. Each one of them promises to give the visitors golden opportunities to behold and appreciate varied traditions through multiple art performances of different styles, origins and genres. From court to folk, from East to West, from music, drama, dance, and costume exhibitions, Hue Festival has it all!
- Hues of Asia: One of the major events in the festival is the Oriental Night, a fashion show solely dedicated to Asia's traditional dresses and costumes. It takes place every year at the festival, and it brings together native models from different Asian countries like Mongolia, Japan, Thailand and India. This night not only showcases the beauty of these different costumes but also the different races. This display promises to show the audiences the different concepts of beauty in the whole of Asia.
- Echoes of Australia: Hue Festival 2012 showcased the energetic dance moves along with rowdy music of the aboriginal tribes in wild Australia. Descendants, The group of artists, portrayed their indigenous Australian art forms in front of the audiences with a unique folk dance. They even played one of their local musical instruments known as Didgeridoo.
- Fresh Cuban Dance Forms: Cuba is all about funky dance forms of Rumba and Salsa and one of their folk art troupes – Deep Roots, performed in the past in the Hue Festival. They awed the audiences with different variations of Rumba, Havana, and other popular dance numbers like the cha-cha-cha, Danzon, Casino and Bolero.
- Soothing Folk Music from Europe: Soulful jazz by some Polish artists and traditional Mazurka were combined and presented in front of audiences in 2012. Janusz Prusinowski Trio, a popular folk band, performed some beautiful Mazurka songs in a very traditional manner by using classical instruments like the wooden flute and violin. The piano sounds were lovely, arranged with some traditional jazz melodies. This heady brew of folk with pop music gave the international tourists a refreshing high.
History of the Biennial Festival
Hue Festival got its name in 2000 and was a part of the successful Vietnam-France Gathering of 1992. Since 2000 till today, Hue City has been able to celebrate a total of eight festivals every two years. It is a tourism and culture event and the very first national and international festival in Vietnam. Every event in this six days long festival consists of various traditional activities honouring the cultural values of the country in general. It also portrays the essence of the ancient imperial city of Hue in its all certainty. Several international performing arts groups participate in the event, along with many interesting performances by artists from all over the world. So, if you are Hue during this time, you would surely not want to miss any of it! All the special performances are usually loved by many international as well as domestic travellers and they even wait for the next festival to arrive for experience the same in a different theme altogether.
A Few Tips to Enjoy the Hue Festival at its Best!
When in Rome, do as the Romans do! And this phrase proves true for all travelers who are traveling to a different and new country to experience the best of their local cultures. So, if you happen to be in Vietnam during the Hue Festival, you need to chalk out a proper plan for all six days of the festival to go back home with the best of memories that will last for a lifetime! Here are a few tips that might help!
- Try Out the Best Foods Possible: Visiting a cultural festival and not relishing its local cuisine is truly not done. Especially for the Hue Festival, you must try different dishes, from street foods to Royal cuisines. You can visit the food stalls with all kinds of food from around the globe. You can relish the Royal cuisine during the Imperial Night event in the Citadel.
- Visit the Various Exhibitions: A series of different exhibitions featuring varied aspects of the Hue culture is worth visiting during this festival. This can be your once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to admire masterpieces from around the world. There are photo exhibitions as well as illustration art to see and appreciate.
- Spend a Fun Time at the Music Events: During the Hue Festival, music bands worldwide are invited to perform, and these events are really fun to be a part of. Music concerts are being held, and some performances are just too hard to give a miss! You can enjoy different kinds of music, starting from folk to traditional and classic, and have a great time with friends or family!
- Be a Part of the Traditional Customs: One of the best ways to feel the true essence of the Hue Festival is to be a part of the local customs and traditions. Hue culture is unique and varied so that it can be truly surprising for you as a foreigner. Nam Giao Offering Ritual, Kites Display, and the Traditional Boat Race Festival are some of the best options to participate in.
Hue Festival is all about a cultural extravaganza for demonstrating Vietnam's most loved artistic communities. For a tourist, it is a must-experience festival to be able to appreciate the profundity and depth of the country’s rich culture, history and artistic triumphs. Hue Festival is all set to take place in 2020, so you should start planning for the same soon to get yourself an accommodation of your choice and airfare in your budget! The country overflows with tourists during this biennial event, and hence, you need to plan early.