This September, Huế continues to come alive with a series of cultural, artistic, sporting, and Mid-Autumn Festival activities as part of Autumn Festival — Huế Festival 2026.
From September 18 to 25, 2026, the city will host a continuous series of programs, from the Huế Lion Festival and Lion – Unicorn – Dragon performances to Mid-Autumn lantern processions and evenings of music and light in the Imperial City area.
In particular, the Imperial Mid-Autumn Night at the Kiến Trung Palace courtyard promises to offer a distinctive Mid-Autumn experience, as the familiar colors of traditional festivities come to life within the setting of Huế's Imperial Palace.
If you are planning to visit Huế this September, here are some of the highlights you should not miss.
What Is the Mid-Autumn Festival?
The Mid-Autumn Festival — known in Vietnam as Tết Trung Thu, and sometimes called the Mid-Fall Festival or Moon Festival — is one of the most beloved celebrations across East and Southeast Asia, held every year on the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month. At its heart, it is a festival of the harvest, of family reunion, and of children: a night when families gather to share mooncakes, light paper lanterns, and, in Vietnam especially, watch children parade through the streets with brightly lit lanterns shaped like stars, fish, and dragons.
Why the Full Moon Matters
The festival takes its name — and its date — directly from the moon. It falls each year on the one night the moon is traditionally at its fullest and roundest of the entire year, which is why it is known in many countries simply as the Moon Festival. The full moon is the festival's central symbol: a shape associated with completeness, harmony, and the coming together of family. Gazing at the moon together, sharing mooncakes beneath it, and lighting lanterns in its honor remain the festival's oldest and most enduring rituals.
The festival's origins reach back over a thousand years, rooted in agrarian traditions of giving thanks for the harvest and in old legends of the moon — in Vietnam, the story of Chú Cuội, said to sit beneath a banyan tree on the moon's surface, is told to children every year at this time. Over the centuries, the festival has kept its essential spirit even as its customs have evolved: today it remains, above all, a night for togetherness.
No Mid-Autumn table is complete without mooncakes (bánh trung thu) — round or square pastries, traditionally filled with lotus seed paste, salted egg yolk, or mixed nuts, shared within the family and given as gifts between friends, colleagues, and loved ones in the weeks leading up to the festival.
In Huế, this shared national tradition carries the particular imprint of the former imperial capital's own culinary heritage. Local bakeries across the city are known for mooncakes made in the style of ẩm thực cung đình — imperial court cuisine — often filled with hạt sen Huế (Huế lotus seed) or đậu ngự, a delicate, fragrant lima bean once reserved for royal use, its name literally meaning "for the emperor's table." These ingredients, prized for their subtlety rather than sweetness, reflect the same restrained, refined character that runs through Huế's cuisine more broadly — a sensibility Thiên Ý's own kitchen, under Chef Lê Vũ, draws on throughout the year, not only at Mid-Autumn.
September 18–20: Huế Lion Festival 2026
The series of activities begins with the Huế Lion Festival 2026, taking place from September 18 to 20.
During these days, spectacular lion dance performances will bring a lively festival atmosphere to the heart of the city. The sound of festival drums, lion dances, and the bustling atmosphere will create a very different character for Huế in the early days of autumn.
This is also an activity well suited to families with young children, as well as visitors who want to immerse themselves in the atmosphere of traditional festivities and discover a familiar cultural feature of the Vietnamese Mid-Autumn Festival.
September 20: Opening Ceremony of the Huế City Sports Festival
On September 20, alongside the cultural activities, Huế will host the opening ceremony of the Huế City Sports Festival.
The event will bring a youthful and lively atmosphere, adding a new color to the series of Festival activities in September.
If you are in Huế at this time, this will be an interesting option to experience the city's community atmosphere and sporting activities.
September 21: Lion – Unicorn – Dragon Parade and Mid-Autumn Lantern Procession
September 21 will be one of the liveliest days of the September event series, with the Lion – Unicorn – Dragon Parade and Mid-Autumn Lantern Procession.
Lion – Unicorn – Dragon troupes will move through the central streets of the city, accompanied by the sound of festival drums and colorful performances.
At the same time, Mid-Autumn lanterns will appear along the streets, creating a special festive atmosphere as the city enters the evening.
This is one of the activities that visitors can easily join and experience directly, rather than simply watching from a distance. The street setting, drumbeats, and procession create an intimate experience, particularly suited to those who want to discover the atmosphere of the Mid-Autumn Festival in Huế.
September 23: Music and Light Outside the Imperial City
On September 23, the Music and Light program will take place in the area outside Hiển Nhơn Gate — Huế Imperial City.
The combination of music, light, and historic architectural surroundings will give the Imperial City area a different appearance as night falls.
After a day of exploring Huế, this is a suitable option for continuing to discover the city in the evening and experiencing the Festival atmosphere in a more contemporary way.
September 24: Imperial Mid-Autumn Night
If one highlight had to be chosen from the September event series, the Imperial Mid-Autumn Night would certainly be a name worth noting.
The program will take place on September 24 at the courtyard of Kiến Trung Palace — Huế Imperial City, right on the occasion of the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Instead of celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival in familiar settings, visitors will have the opportunity to experience a full-moon night right in the Imperial Palace. Cultural and artistic activities combined with Mid-Autumn lanterns will create a special setting amid the ancient architecture of the Imperial City.
This is also an opportunity to experience the intersection between a familiar festival in Vietnamese life and Huế's distinctive historical setting.
For visitors traveling with their families, this could be one of the most memorable experiences of a September trip.
September 25: "Nhìn Những Mùa Thu Đi"
The event series concludes with the music program "Nhìn Những Mùa Thu Đi" — Nguyễn Đình Tuấn Dũng, taking place on September 25 at the courtyard of Kiến Trung Palace.
After days filled with lion dance drums, lantern processions, and street programs, the concert brings a gentler atmosphere, continuing the artistic series of Huế Festival 2026.
This is a suitable choice for those who love music and want to spend a relaxing evening in the special setting of Huế Imperial City.
A Colorful September in Huế
In just one week, Huế will offer many different experiences.
From lion festivals and Lion – Unicorn – Dragon performances to Mid-Autumn lantern processions along the streets; from music and light to the Imperial Mid-Autumn Night in the courtyard of Kiến Trung Palace.
What makes this series of events interesting is that visitors can combine many activities within the same trip, while also taking time to visit the Imperial City, explore historical sites, enjoy local cuisine, and discover Huế at night.
Accommodation Suggestion: Thiên Ý Villas
If you are planning to visit Huế during this period, Thiên Ý Villas is a convenient option for exploring the Festival activities.
Located right inside the Huế Citadel, Thiên Ý is only about a 5-minute walk from the Imperial City. This location is particularly convenient for visitors who want to attend programs taking place at the Imperial City, such as Music and Light or the Imperial Mid-Autumn Night, while also having easy access to the central areas of the city.
After hours of joining the festivities, visitors can return to the private space of their villa and continue enjoying their holiday at their own pace.
Planning Your September Trip
From September 18 to 25, 2026, Huế will host a week of festivals with many activities for both local residents and visitors.
If you are looking for an interesting time to explore the former imperial capital this year, September is an opportunity to experience Huế through very different sounds, lights, and colors — from the sound of Lion – Unicorn – Dragon drums in the streets to Mid-Autumn lanterns illuminating the Imperial Palace.
Save the festival schedule and plan your trip to Huế in September 2026.
Thiên Ý Villas — accommodation in the heart of the Huế Citadel, just about a 5-minute walk from the Imperial City.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Huế Festival and Mid-Autumn Festival 2026
What is the Mid-Autumn Festival?
The Mid-Autumn Festival, known in Vietnam as Tết Trung Thu, is a traditional East and Southeast Asian celebration held on the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month, when the moon is at its fullest of the year. It is a festival of harvest, family reunion, mooncakes, and lantern processions.
What is a mooncake?
A mooncake (bánh trung thu) is a traditional round or square pastry eaten during the Mid-Autumn Festival, typically filled with lotus seed paste, salted egg yolk, or mixed nuts. In Huế, mooncakes are often made in the imperial court style, using Huế lotus seed or đậu ngự, a delicate bean once reserved for royal use.
When does the Huế Mid-Autumn Festival 2026 take place?
The main Mid-Autumn Festival activities in the Autumn Festival — Huế Festival 2026 series take place from September 18–25, 2026, with the Imperial Mid-Autumn Night held on September 24, 2026.
When does the Huế Lion Festival 2026 take place?
The Huế Lion Festival 2026 takes place from September 18 to 20, 2026, featuring spectacular lion dance performances in the festive atmosphere of Huế.
When does the Huế Mid-Autumn Lantern Procession take place?
The Lion – Unicorn – Dragon Parade and Mid-Autumn Lantern Procession takes place on September 21, 2026, with performance and procession groups moving through the central streets of the city.
Where is the Imperial Mid-Autumn Night held?
The Imperial Mid-Autumn Night takes place on September 24, 2026, at the courtyard of Kiến Trung Palace, Huế Imperial City. It is one of the most notable highlights of the September Mid-Autumn Festival activities.