The 2022 Huế Festival has more than 50 events across 2022
The Huế Festival, a much-loved festival in Vietnam, will come back this year after three years. Despite the name, the Huế Festival is actually an umbrella term for many smaller events and activities taking in Huế City. This year, the 2022 Huế Festival is inspired by the four seasons and will take place throughout the year.
Among them, the most important events, known collectively as the Huế Festival Week, will take place this June. When visiting Huế during this time, you can attend many exciting events. These activities will help you with much more insight into the culture, the people, and the history of Huế, the old capital of Vietnam from 1788 to 1945.
The events will be based on seasons
The official poster of the 2022 Huế Festival with four plants representing four seasons: Apricot blossoms (spring), lotuses (summer), chrysanthemums (fall), and conifers (winter)
Image credit: Huế Festival
After its cancellation in 2020 due to the pandemic, the Huế Festival will not be contained to just a few days of carnivals and art shows. Instead, it comprises many activities across the year, so you can plan your visit to the city to coincide with your favourite events. The activities will go beyond regular carnivals and art shows and include events with spiritual and historical values.
The Ban Sóc Ceremony took place in the Citadel on the first day of 2022
Image credit: Tuổi Trẻ
The Huế Festival this year will be divided into four smaller celebrations. The Spring Celebration has already taken place in February this year with the ceremonies of Ban Sóc (班朔禮) or offering calendars, Thượng Nêu or raising the Tet pole, and the celebration of Princess Huyền Trân, whose marriage helped expand the territory of the country to Huế.
The Summer Celebration lasts from April to June, including áo dài fashion shows, street carnivals, a Trịnh Công Sơn tribute night, and the ceremony of Nam Giao (南郊禮), or the prayers to heaven.
The former vice-chairman of Thừa Thiên-Huế Province hosted the Nam Giao Ceremony at the 2018 Huế Festival.
Image credit: VnExpress
Then comes the Fall Celebration planned to take place from July to September 2022. It is marked by the traditional Huế Village Festival, boat races on the Fragrant River, Lantern Festival, and lion dance performances.
The 2022 Huế Festival concludes with the Winter Celebration during the last three months of the year, which is made up of singing competitions, art shows, and the countdown event to 2023.
The main festival week will take place in June 2022
Chants and music from the Nguyễn Dynasty, including Đăng Đàn Cung (登壇宮), the first national anthem of Vietnam, are performed in the Nam Giao Ceremony.
Image credit: VnExpress
With a long schedule stretching throughout the year, the focus of the 2022 Huế Festival will be from 25th to 30th June.
Kites of all kinds and designs will appear at the Huế Festival this year.
Image credit: Huế Festival
Apart from the events and activities mentioned above, the tentative plan for the Huế Festival in June also features a lot of other intriguing events such as the Vesak celebration, a Vegan Week, and a Kite-Flying Festival.
Among the celebrations, one of the most intriguing celebrations is the Huệ Nam Palace Festival in which people show their respect to Poh Yang Ina Nagar, also known as Thiên Y A Na, a Champa goddess.
This is a special celebration of Huế’s history and culture
The boats escorting the goddess Poh Nagar on the Fragrant River
Image credit: Huế Festival
Held for the first time in 1992 as the Vietnam-France Festival and renamed as the Huế Festival in 2000, this festive occasion takes place every other year, on even years, to celebrate the traditional beauty of HuếCity.
Some iconic activities include the reenactment of imperial rituals of the Nguyễn and Tây Sơn Dynasties in the Citadel, traditional art performances, and colourful carnivals.
Street carnival is an essential part of every Huế Festival
Image credit: Huế Festival
Moreover, Huế Festivals also attract many artistic crews across the globe to join, especially in carnivals and other cultural exchanges during the festival. This festival is also a place to establish and cement the diplomatic relationships between Huế and its twin cities around the world.
The 2022 Huế Festival
With a long schedule stretching throughout the year, the 2022 Huế Festival allows you to plan your visit to the city quite easily. Embracing the theme of four seasons, the festival is fascinating as it can show the best features of Huế City in each quarter of the year.
Therefore, this is also a good opportunity for you to discover the quintessence of Huế, the city famous for its rustic beauty and historical significance.
Also check out:
- A guide to Huế City
- Bảo Đại: Vietnam’s last emperor whose reign was in Huế
- Mini-Huế Citadel paradigm in Saigon
Cover image adapted from Tuổi Trẻ, VnExpress, and Huế Festival
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