5 Ways To Celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival If You Are In Vietnam

Mid-Autumn Festival, or Tết Trung Thu, is traditionally a celebration for children - a night of lanterns, mooncakes, family gatherings and stories about the moon. For many Vietnamese, it is also a small time capsule of childhood.

Growing up doesn’t mean people have to leave that feeling behind. This year, trade the usual routine for an evening of lanterns, local stories, traditional crafts or mooncakes shared with the people you love.

Here are five ways to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival in Vietnam - whether you’re rediscovering an old childhood tradition or experiencing it for the first time.

1. Visit A Mid-Autumn Festival Exhibition

Cóc Tùng Cốc Tùng - A Khởi Đăng Tác Khí And Tàng The Culture Lab Project

One thing that makes Khởi Đăng Tác Khí’s Mid-Autumn Festival projects special is that the space takes on a different theme each year.

This year’s exhibition, Cóc Tùng Cốc Tùng draws inspiration from the Vietnamese folktale Cóc kiện trời (The Toad Goes to Heaven to Seek Justice). The story is reimagined through the exhibition space and a series of cultural creations, reflecting on recent changes in weather and natural disasters - from prolonged periods of intense heat to the delayed arrival of the rainy season.

Step inside and the exhibition will open up stories of Tan Dinh’s past - from the history of Son Tra Communal House to the early settlement of southern Vietnam, where Kinh, Hoa and Cham communities have lived alongside one another.

It also highlights different Mid-Autumn traditions: the Kinh prepare a traditional festival spread, the Hoa observe the worship of the Moon Goddess, while the Khmer celebrate the moon through the Ok Om Bok festival.

Beyond Cóc kiện trời, the exhibition features around 21 other lantern designs, each inspired by a different Vietnamese story or cultural symbol.

Among them is a mandarin duck lantern, inspired by motifs found on Ly Dynasty terracotta roof tiles unearthed at the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long. Another depicts the Cá Ông, or whale, a figure associated with whale worship among coastal communities in Central and Southern Vietnam.

At Cóc Tùng Cốc Tùng, visitors can join a guided introduction to the exhibition, enjoy tea and traditional treats, and take photos throughout the space - all at no extra cost.

Visits are arranged by time slot, with each session lasting around 55 minutes and a limited number of guests. That means you can take your time exploring the exhibition without having to navigate a crowded, noisy space.

Details:

• Time: Daily from 2 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., from August 20 to October 11, 2026
• Location: Son Tra Communal House, 113A Nguyen Phi Khanh, Tan Dinh Ward, Ho Chi Minh City
• Tickets:
  • Adults: VND 139,000 per person (VND 129,000 per person for two adults)
  • Children: VND 75,000 (ages 2-10); VND 40,000 (ages 0-2)

Lưu Trăng Exhibition

Today, a new generation of young creatives is finding its own ways to keep Vietnam’s cultural heritage alive. Their approaches may differ, but they share a common goal: giving familiar traditions a new life in the present.

While Khởi Đăng Tác Khí explores Vietnamese culture through folk stories, beliefs and local history, young culture enthusiasts behind brands such as THONG DONG, CỦA NẢ and THE ANNAM have taken a different approach. In the heart of Hanoi’s Old Quarter, they have come together for Lưu Trăng, an exhibition bringing traditional Mid-Autumn Festival artifacts and toys closer to the public through research, reconstruction and contemporary reinterpretation.

The exhibition is part of Lưu Trăng Phố Cổ 2026, a series of Mid-Autumn Festival activities organized by the Management Board of Hoan Kiem Lake and Hanoi’s Old Quarter in collaboration with the Vietnamese Village Communal House Club. The project also brings together artisans, researchers and architects who have contributed to preserving and reimagining these traditional forms.

Visitors can also get hands-on with traditional Mid-Autumn activities, from making lanterns and painting papier-mâché masks to crafting folk toys. The exhibition also hosts talks and conversations with cultural researchers, artisans and artists, offering insights into the history of Mid-Autumn Festival, the cultural value of traditional toys, Vietnamese folk art, and the role of heritage in contemporary life.

The event follows the philosophy of “not recreating the past, but carrying the spirit of heritage forward.” In practice, traditional objects are recreated with respect for their original forms and cultural meaning, while being thoughtfully adapted to suit the interests and tastes of today’s audiences. The collection includes toys and lanterns familiar to generations of Hanoians, from star-shaped lanterns and handmade paper toys to rotating lanterns, sun-and-moon lanterns, and lion heads.

Details:

• Time: August 28 to September 27, 2026. The full Lưu Trăng Phố Cổ 2026 program runs from August 28 to September 30.
• Location: Cultural and Arts Center, 22 Hang Buom Street, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
• Tickets: Free

2. Join A Hands-On Workshop

If you’d rather make something than simply look at it, a traditional craft workshop can be a fun way to experience Mid-Autumn Festival firsthand.

In Ho Chi Minh City, a few lantern-making workshops worth checking out include Flower’s 1969, where you can make traditional star-shaped cellophane lanterns and choose from a variety of other frame designs, ReTile Mosaic, which offers mosaic lantern workshops, and Sundate, where participants can paint traditional dó paper lanterns.

Workshop Details

• Flower 1969’s: 263/2 Nguyen Dinh Chieu Street, Ban Co Ward (formerly District 3), Ho Chi Minh City.

• ReTile Mosaic: 47 Luong Huu Khanh Street, Pham Ngu Lao Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City.

• Sundate:
  • Branch 1: 41 My Tu 3 Residential Area, Tan Phong Ward, Ho Chi Minh City
  • Branch 2: 102 Tran Quoc Toan Street, Xuan Hoa Ward, Ho Chi Minh City

3. Explore The Lantern Streets

Not much of a crafter, or simply short on time? If all you have is a quick stop after work to soak up the festive atmosphere, Ho Chi Minh City’s lantern streets are an easy place to start.

As the Mid-Autumn Festival approaches each year, streets such as Luong Nhu Hoc and Phu Dinh light up with colorful lanterns in all shapes and sizes. Come by for a few photos, take in the lively atmosphere, or pick up a lantern or two as a gift for your kids, younger siblings or nieces and nephews.

Mid-Autumn Festival has long been a concept that many young people love. The lantern streets strike a balance between bright and nostalgic, with rows of colorful decorations alongside family-run shops that have been selling festival toys and decorations for years. Together, they give these streets a warm, lived-in charm.

If you have a little more time to spare, consider hopping on a flight to Hoi An Ancient Town. It’s a chance to experience the festive spirit of the Mid-Autumn Festival while taking in one of Vietnam’s most distinctive cultural settings.

4. Get Some Mooncakes

Made it through four ideas and still haven’t found a Mid-Autumn activity for the full-time introverts? Here’s the simplest one: pick up a box of mooncakes to enjoy on your own, or bring a few home to share with the family.

At its heart, the Mid-Autumn Festival is about coming together, sharing mooncakes and catching up over a meal. You may have outgrown the excitement of lanterns and elaborate festival treats, but a simple family gathering can still bring back a little of that childhood feeling.

Sometimes, that’s all you need to make an ordinary full-moon night feel a little different.