There are several events in Da Nang in 2020 that you must know about. There are also traditional festivals in Da Nang celebrated every year. If you are planning to visit the city and want to catch the celebrations, it’s worth reading on.
The city is filled with people on the streets, cheap beer and karaoke through the night. So make sure you know what you are signing up for. But, if you love partying and finding out more about different cultures, Da Nang is a great place to be in.
In this article, I will give you the important information you need to know about these events and festivals in Da Nang.
Events in Da Na Nang
Table of Contents
Tet — Lunar New Year 2020
When: Saturday, 25 January
Where: Da Nang, Vietnam
In Vietnam, Tet is the biggest celebration — it is Christmas, New Year and birthdays all in one. Tet Nguyen Dan (Festival of the First Day) marks the beginning of the Lunar New Year. It is a time for families to come together in the hope of good fortune for the coming year, and it’s an occasion when the ancestral spirits are welcomed back into the family home. Everyone in Vietnam celebrates their Tet-birthday — everyone is a year older.
The celebration starts seven days before the main event. The whole family comes together and prepares for the New Year. At midnight on New Year’s Eve, the celebrations reach a crescendo — drums and percussion fill the night air.
But after this, the celebration is mostly a quiet family affair – people eat Banh Chung (sticky rice with pork and egg) at home. It’s difficult to travel in Vietnam since there is barely any transport available.
If you’re planning to join the celebration, just remember this phrase: Chuc Mung Nam Moi – Happy New Year!
Da Nang Fireworks Festival
When: 1 June – 7 June 2020
Where: Da Nang, Vietnam
The Da Nang Fireworks Festival is held every year around June on the banks of the Han River in Da Nang City. You will find participants from all over the world at the fireworks competition, as well as the host team of Da Nang city. You will get to witness many magnificent and colourful fireworks performances with added light shows and background music.
There are several other activities happening along with the main festival, such as the light fest, parachuting contest, food festival, and the international art fest.
The Whale Festival Da Nang
When: 7 April – 8 April 2020
Where: Da Nang, Vietnam
The Whale Festival takes place on the 15th day of the 3rd lunar month in the coastal villages of several cities in Vietnam, including Da Nang City. One of the most important festivals for the fishermen in Da Nang, the whale fest or ‘le hoi ca ong’ in Vietnamese, is when the fishermen thank whales (respectfully called Grandfather Fish). The festival ensures the prosperity of the fishing villages and tranquil life for fishermen.
On the first day and night, all the villagers observe the peace ceremony. The next morning, villagers take part in a water procession, with music and a hat boi — a traditional Vietnamese opera. During the festival, all ships and boats are decorated and anchored at the wharf. The whale festival has been recognized as an intangible cultural heritage in Vietnam.
Da Nang International Marathon
When: 7th August — 9th August 2020
Where: Bien Dong Park, Vo Nguyen Giap Str., Danang
The DaNang International Marathon 2020, features 3 distances — Full Marathon, Half Marathon, and 5Km fun run happening over 3 days. This is the first professional Marathon in Vietnam certified by IAAF – AIMS (International Association of Athletics Federations and Association of International Marathons and Distance Races).
Along the run route, you will get to experience the beautiful coastline of Da Nang, the surrounding mountains and the bridges across the Han river. As you breathe in the fresh air and take in the sights and sounds around you, you will discover that this is a most memorable race! Registrations for the marathon are now open on the official website: https://www.rundanang.com/
Dalat Flower Festival
When: Up to Jan 1st 2020
Where: Vietnam
Held early in the month, this is always a wonderful occasion, with huge elaborate displays. It’s become one of the biggest international events, with music and fashion shows and a wine festival.
The city is blooming during this time of the year. It is a mesmerizing time to experience this festival first hand. People from all around south-east Asia drop in by, especially since it is the holiday season.
Quang Trung
When: 5th day of the first lunar month
Where: Vietnam (everywhere)
Wrestling lion dances, competitions, and human chess take place in Da Nang on the fifth day of the first lunar month at Dong Da Mound, site of the uprising against the Chinese led by Emperor Quang Trung (Nguyen Hue) in 1788.
Colours are flowing through the festival. It is a beauty to experience. Most of the Vietnamese festivals are all about liberation and colour to celebrate and this one falls in the same category.
Nha Trang Sea Festival (Biennial)
When: May/June
Where: Vietnam (everywhere)
Although this festival is not in Da Nang, as such, it deserves it mention because it is purely magical. If you are in Da Nang, You should plan ahead since the next one is in 2021.
This lively event, held every two years in early June, (the next in 2019 and 2021) includes a street festival, photography exhibitions, sports events, embroidery displays, and kite-flying competitions.
Children’s (or Mid-Autumn) Festival, Hoi An
When: July/August
Where: Hoi An
This is a big event in Hoi An and Hanoi when citizens celebrate the full moon (yes!!), eat moon cakes and beat drums through the night. The lion, unicorn and dragon dance processions are performed, and children are fully involved in the celebrations.
Hoi An is a 20-minute ride from Da Nang so I would like to consider it as a part of Da Nang. Riding across the city takes more time than reaching Hoi An. Does not matter if there is a festival or not, you should definitely visit Hoi An since I feel it is the hippest town in Vietnam.
Mid-Autumn Festival (Trung Thu)
When: September or October
Where: Vietnam (everywhere)
A fine time for foodies, with moon cakes of sticky rice filled with lotus seeds, watermelon seeds, peanuts, the yolks of duck eggs, raisins and other treats. It’s celebrated across the nation on the 15th day of the eighth moon and can fall in September or October.
This festival is more of less celebrated as the same as the mid-autumn or children’s festival in Hoi An. Just on different dates. Nevertheless, it is still a sight that would please most of the tourists around.
Winding up on best events in Da Nang.
Most of the events in Da Nang, as you might have noticed, involve tonnes of colours and fireworks and drinking out on the streets. This is one way I had never celebrated festivals.
Da Nang, off all the places in Vietnam, personally is the best city to stay in (think: long term). If you are on a budget, just keep in mind that the prices around Da Nang fluctuate with the seasons. Summertime (March to August) is the busy season and hence the average cost of living might tend to shoot up.
The month of January and Feb, when the festival of TET is celebrated, the prices of every commodity shoot up since the city is almost in a complete lockdown.
What is your favourite festival in Da Nang? Have I missed something that I should have included here? Share your thoughts in the comments.
