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The event kicked off a week brimming with cultural colors, where the Vietnamese ao dai (traditional dress) was celebrated in the distinctive heritage setting of the ancient capital, while further affirming the brand "Hue - The Capital of Ao Dai".
Staged in an open-air format connecting the community, the program brought together hundreds of artists, actors, models, artisans, and members of the public to participate in the performances. The showcased ao dai collections, interspersed with music, dance, and traditional performance art forms, created an emotionally rich artistic tableau, recreating the journey of the Vietnamese ao dai through different periods.
Against the shimmering backdrop of the Perfume River, the elegant and graceful beauty of the ao dai (Vietnamese traditional dress) was further enhanced, becoming a distinctive highlight of the opening night.
Taking place from now until July 10th, the Hue Ao Dai Week 2026, organized by the Hue City Department of Culture and Sports, will offer a series of rich cultural, artistic, and community activities, stretching from the city center to rural villages, ancient hamlets, and heritage sites.
More than just an annual cultural and tourism event, this year's week holds special significance as it coincides with the 20th day of the 5th lunar month, the anniversary of the death of King Nguyen Phuc Khoat – a Nguyen lord who played a major role in shaping Vietnamese national costumes. This is an opportunity to pay tribute to our ancestors and honor the traditional values that have contributed to the formation of Vietnamese cultural identity for hundreds of years.
On July 4th, the anniversary of the death of King Nguyen Phuc Khoat, flower and incense offerings will be made at Truong Thai Mausoleum, a ceremony paying tribute to King Nguyen Phuc Khoat and Emperor Minh Mang. Alongside this, a large-scale performance titled "Viet Phong Hoi Tu - Bach Hoa Do Hanh" (Vietnamese Style Gathering - A Journey of a Hundred Flowers) will take place at the Hue Imperial Citadel, where hundreds of people in traditional Vietnamese costumes will gather to recreate a vivid picture of the history of national attire through various periods.
Throughout the week, locals and tourists will be able to immerse themselves in many unique community activities such as the "Ao Dai Through the Streets" environmental cycling program, the "Hue Ao Dai - The Fragrance of Thanh Tra" community cycling program, Ao Dai parades, art performances, thematic exhibitions, cultural experience spaces, and many activities for teenagers and students.
One of the highlights is the exhibition space "The Story of Hue's Ao Dai," the program "The Beauty of Hue's Ao Dai," the "School Ao Dai" exhibition, the "Ao Dai - The Rhythm of Youth" activity, the display and performance of "Knowledge of Sewing and Wearing Hue's Ao Dai," and the "Ao Dai Dance" program along the Perfume River. These are not just performances but also a journey to help the public better understand the history, art, and techniques of tailoring, as well as the cultural values preserved through many generations.
The scope of the Ao Dai Week has also expanded to many rural areas, contributing to bringing the Ao Dai closer to community life. Activities such as "Traditional Ao Dai - Ancient Village Charm" at Phuoc Tich Ancient Village, the "Elegant Ao Dai of Traditional A Luoi Weaving", Ao Dai photo contests, school Ao Dai performances, and many other activities in various localities will create a vibrant atmosphere, spreading the love of Ao Dai to all levels of people and tourists.
A special feature of this year's Hue Ao Dai Week is that it goes beyond just performances and aims to affirm the position of the ao dai as an important element in Hue's cultural ecosystem. At the end of 2024, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism officially inscribed "The Knowledge of Sewing and Wearing Ao Dai in Hue" into the National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage. This is a recognition of the cultural values preserved and passed down through many generations of Hue people.
Over time, the ao dai (Vietnamese traditional dress) has always been present in the lives of the people of Hue, from schools and offices to religious ceremonies, community festivals, weddings, performing arts, and even daily activities. This natural presence has created the enduring vitality of the Hue ao dai, making it an indispensable part of the cultural identity of this heritage land.
Over the years, Hue has persistently implemented the "Hue - The Capital of Vietnamese Ao Dai" project, gradually positioning the ao dai as a distinctive cultural symbol of the locality. Not only does it contribute to heritage preservation, but the project also opens up new avenues for development by making the ao dai a resource for tourism, the cultural industry, and promoting the image of Hue to the world.
According to the leaders of the Hue City Department of Culture and Sports, preserving the ao dai (Vietnamese traditional dress) in the current period should not only focus on organizing large-scale festivals or performances, but also require building a comprehensive cultural ecosystem encompassing research, training, apprenticeship, community education, artistic creation, international communication, and the development of the cultural industry.
As a heritage city, a distinctive festival city of Vietnam, and a major cultural center of the country, Hue has all the conditions to build a cultural development model based on living heritage, in which the ao dai (Vietnamese traditional dress) becomes an identifying symbol not only of Hue but also of Vietnam.
If done well, the journey from National Intangible Cultural Heritage to UNESCO submission will become increasingly closer. But above all, the most important thing remains preserving the cultural soul of the ao dai in present and future life, so that each ao dai fluttering in the ancient capital continues to tell the story of Vietnamese history, identity, and spirit.
The Hue Ao Dai Week 2026 will conclude on the evening of July 10th with a closing art program at the stage along the Perfume River in front of Hue National High School for the Gifted, promising to end a journey rich in emotion, continuing to spread the beauty of the Ao Dai and affirming the attractiveness of Hue - a unique cultural destination of Vietnam.
