Vibrant spirit of Hai Phong Red Flamboyant Festival
Though relatively new, the Hai Phong Red Flamboyant Festival has become a distinctive cultural hallmark of the city by harnessing the strength of the people and the community.
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Expanding the festival space
It is no coincidence that the Hai Phong Red Flamboyant Festival has gained enduring vitality in the city’s urban life. In its early years, the festival mainly focused on the opening art program and several large-scale events. However, in recent years—especially after the period of socio-economic recovery—it has undergone a clear transformation.
The festival space has been expanded, its content diversified, and most importantly, community participation has been significantly strengthened.
In fact, the 2023 and 2024 editions of the festival marked breakthroughs in both scale and outreach. In 2023, for the first time, the festival was associated with a series of more than 50 cultural, sports, and tourism activities held across districts, attracting tens of thousands of residents and visitors. Programs such as street carnivals, community art festivals, and grassroots sports competitions not only created a vibrant atmosphere but also encouraged direct public participation, contributing to the festival’s lively, everyday character.
In 2024, the scale continued to expand with more than 60 activities, many of which were organized at the grassroots level. In localities, hundreds of community-based cultural, artistic, and sports models were maintained regularly, helping to spread the festive spirit. Various clubs—ranging from folk dance, cheo singing, ca tru, to community sports—actively participated in performances, attracting large numbers of people. These seemingly small-scale activities have, in fact, built a solid foundation, ensuring that the festival is not dependent solely on a few central events.
Beyond cultural life, the Red Flamboyant Festival has also delivered clear benefits for tourism and city branding. During the festival period in recent years, the number of visitors to Hai Phong has surged, with hotel occupancy rates in central areas often reaching over 80–90%. Destinations such as Do Son, Cat Ba, and the city center have remained bustling, generating significant revenue for the service sector. This demonstrates that the festival is not only a cultural event but also a “soft lever” driving economic growth.
From these results, a clear trend has emerged: the Red Flamboyant Festival is no longer merely a showcase event but is becoming an open cultural space with people at its center. This approach is what sets it apart and is also the key factor behind its long-term vitality.
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Highlights of the Hai Phong Red Flamboyant Festival 2026
The 2026 edition of the Hai Phong Red Flamboyant Festival will continue to feature a wide-ranging series of activities, diverse in format and spreading broadly from the city center to grassroots levels.
Notably, in 2026, the people-centered nature of the festival will be even more evident. This is reflected not only in the increased number of activities but also in the organization approach, which encourages greater initiative and participation from the community.
At the same time, socialization efforts will continue to be promoted, attracting the participation and support of many major enterprises. However, the core principle remains ensuring a balance between professionalism and community spirit, so that the festival is both large in scale and close, friendly, and accessible.
Expectations for the 2026 festival go beyond grand performances or impressive visitor numbers. More importantly, it is expected to further reinforce the festival’s role as a “binding force” that connects the community.
The festival is also expected to become a highly competitive cultural–tourism brand, not only domestically but gradually reaching out to the international stage. To achieve this, Hai Phong needs to continue innovating its content, improving organizational quality, and strengthening the linkage between culture and tourism, as well as between tradition and modernity.
It can be seen that the journey of the Red Flamboyant Festival is one from a symbolic cultural event to a vibrant community cultural space. And in that journey, the people are at the center—the most important driving force. When the festival truly belongs to the people, it gains a sustainable foundation for long-term development.
Tam Phuc