Dien Bien (VNA) – Hot air balloons will take to the skies over the northern mountainous province of Dien Bien for the first time as part of a major cultural and arts event, offering a new experience for locals and visitors during the National Day holiday.
Hot air balloon performances will be held as part of the 2026 International Folk Song and Dance Festival, scheduled to take place from August 28 to September 2 at Dien Bien Stadium, May 7 Square and Muong Thanh pedestrian street.
Activities will include balloon displays, tethered flights and free flights. In addition to the balloon shows, the festival will feature a wide range of cultural, artistic, culinary, tourism and trade promotion activities.
Themed “Connecting Cultures – Spreading Peace – Advancing Global Integration”, the festival will bring together domestic folk dance clubs and mass art groups, as well as international art troupes and dance clubs.
The opening ceremony is scheduled for the evening of August 28. Other highlights will include cultural exchange galas, folk art and dance performances, along with shows of traditional costumes and contemporary arts.
A street carnival is scheduled for August 31 along Vo Nguyen Giap street, featuring lion and dragon dances, drum and street circus performances, bamboo dancing, Xoe dancing, other folk dances and a mass performance of “Mua Ket Doan” (Dance of Unity).
Throughout the festival, visitors will also have opportunities to explore local agricultural products, handicrafts, souvenirs, tourism offerings, OCOP products and cuisine.
An exhibition of 70 paintings titled “Hurrah for the Dien Bien Soldiers!”, traditional crafts, folk games, and exchanges with artisans and artists will further showcase the cultural identity of Dien Bien.
The festival is expected to create new tourism products while introducing Dien Bien’s rich history and diverse ethnic cultures, helping attract visitors, boost tourism and expand international cultural exchanges in Vietnam’s northwestern region./.
