To welcome the New Year 2026, Hanoi is expected to organize 15-minute fireworks shows from 11:45 p.m. on December 31, 2025, to 12:00 a.m. on January 1, 2026, at five key locations. Meanwhile, Ho Chi Minh City will hold displays at four sites across the city.

Hanoi’s People’s Committee has submitted to the Standing Committee of the City Party for approval of its plan for fireworks on both New Year’s Eve 2026 and the Lunar New Year of the Year of the Horse.

According to the proposed plan, the New Year’s Eve celebration will include six fireworks sites across five locations in Hanoi. These will feature a combination of high-altitude and low-altitude fireworks alongside theatrical pyrotechnics, lasting for 15 minutes starting at 11:45 p.m.

This year’s plan reflects a new mindset - enhancing both the scale and quality of the performances. It includes the integration of modern light show technology with traditional fireworks to create a more impactful visual experience.

Hanoi will also host a Countdown 2026 program themed “Opening true connections,” which will run from 7:00 p.m. to midnight on December 31 at Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square and the pedestrian zone around Hoan Kiem Lake.

For Lunar New Year (Tet) 2026, which will fall on February 17, 2026 (Tuesday), Hanoi plans to organize fireworks at 31 locations, with a total of 32 launch sites. These will include 11 high- and low-altitude combined fireworks shows and 21 low-altitude-only displays, all taking place at midnight on Lunar New Year’s Eve.

In Ho Chi Minh City, the fireworks plan for New Year’s Eve 2026 includes three high-altitude shows and one low-altitude show. High-altitude fireworks will be launched at the Saigon River Tunnel area in An Khanh Ward, the new Binh Duong City Center, and Tam Thang Square in Vung Tau Ward. A low-altitude show is planned at Dam Sen Cultural Park in Binh Thoi Ward. All shows will begin at midnight on January 1, 2026, and last for 15 minutes, with funding entirely sourced from private contributions.

Dinh Hieu