Vietnamese Ao Dai on the stage of Hue Festival. Photo: Hue Festival

From local events to international stature

Hue Festival was born in 2000, initially just a local cultural event to honor the heritage of the ancient capital and restore the community spirit after the difficult years of post-war and subsidy period. The first Festival took place from April 8 to 19, 2000, with the name "Vietnam - France Festival", focusing on cultural exchange between the two countries.

Despite its modest scale, the event attracted more than 300,000 visitors, opening up hope for a new direction for Hue - where culture, not now but since then, has been identified by local authorities, such as Mr. Le Viet Xe, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Thua Thien Hue Province (formerly), in charge of the cultural and social sector, as a driving force for the city's development.

Since then, the Hue Festival has been held every two years, gradually expanding its influence. By the second edition in 2002, the event was officially named “Hue Festival” and began welcoming art troupes from many countries, such as Japan, Korea, and Thailand. The following editions witnessed the participation of dozens of countries, from Asia, Europe to America, turning the Hue Festival into a truly international festival. By 2024, the latest edition had made its mark with more than 50 international art troupes and nearly 1.5 million visitors, affirming the global stature of the event.

It can be said that the development journey of Hue Festival is a story of the perseverance and vision of local government leaders through many different periods. From a local cultural playground, it has overcome the limits of space and time to become a symbol of international integration, not only locally but also nationally, through the cultural path of becoming a "stage" for many nations in the world to come and perform their own unique cultural beauty.

The bridge between tradition and modernity

Mr. Nguyen Duy Hien, former Director of Hue Festival Center, recalled: “Thanks to Hue Festival, heritages and landmarks such as the Imperial City, Flag Tower, Truong Tien Bridge, the Upper Citadel, the banks of the Perfume River, etc. have become vivid scenes and stages, making the unique values ​​of Hue culture shine before the eyes of domestic and international friends. Through each organization, Hue Festival has not only grown in scale but also matured in quality, becoming an indispensable “specialty” on the map of Vietnamese culture.”

One of the factors that make Hue Festival attractive is the harmonious combination of traditional culture and modern art. This is where the smooth Hue singing on the Perfume River blends with contemporary dances from the West, where the royal court music echoes alongside the vibrant sounds of electronic music.

More importantly, as Mr. Nguyen Duy Hien once said, the Hue Festival - from an initial art event, over time has become a strong driving force to promote the economy, tourism and public awareness of cultural preservation. Statistics from the tourism industry show that each Hue Festival has contributed hundreds of billions of VND to the local budget, from ticket revenue, accommodation services to related commercial activities.

After nearly 25 years, despite becoming a "four-season" festival, Hue Festival still maintains its spirit and tradition, continuing to contribute to the city's development journey. With the status of a centrally-governed city from January 1, 2025, Hue aims to continue to elevate Hue Festival to a new level, becoming a leading cultural event in the region, comparable to major festivals such as: Gion Matsuri (Japan) or Edinburgh Festival (Scotland)...

But above all, Hue Festival is a testament to the ability to integrate and innovate, promoting international cooperation through the cultural path of a city that suffered many losses after the war. 50 years after liberation, Hue has not only stood up and asserted its status as a typical heritage city of Vietnam, encapsulated in 13 words "Identity, intelligence, adaptation, green, clean, beautiful, safe, sustainable" - as Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said, but also shined in the international arena, with Hue Festival as a solid bridge.

Hoang Van Minh

Source: https://huengaynay.vn/van-hoa-nghe-thuat/festival-hue-nhip-cau-van-hoa-va-hoi-nhap-151995.html