Imperial City of Hue hosted festival on 24 September 2026

Imperial City of Hue hosted the Royal Mid-Autumn Festival on 24 September 2026, bringing a children’s programme to the courtyard of Kien Trung Palace inside ??i N?i. The event formed part of Hue Festival 2026 in Hue, Vietnam, and marked the first time the celebration was held at that palace courtyard.

Royal Mid-Autumn Festival moved to Kien Trung Palace

The festival took place on 24 September 2026 at Kien Trung Palace Courtyard in the Imperial City. The Hue Festival 2026 Organising Committee was listed as the organiser, while the city’s official event page placed the programme at the palace courtyard within ??i N?i.

The programme combined lantern displays, traditional royal games and performances linked to court culture. The organiser’s event listing named pitch-pot, royal dice and spinning tops among the activities, alongside dances including the Phoenix Dance, Five Tigers Dance and Horse Dance. Local children also presented traditional ao dai designs from a collection by designer Doan Trang.

The change of venue connected the festival with one of the restored palace spaces in the imperial enclosure. The city described the event as a Mid-Autumn celebration for children, while the organiser said the 2026 edition was intended to provide a more open setting inside the heritage complex. The official city event listing confirms the date and venue.

Kien Trung Palace sits inside Hue’s former royal capital

The Imperial City is the central royal enclosure within the wider Hue Citadel. It contains the Imperial Residence, the Forbidden Purple City and related palaces, while the Perfume River runs through the historic capital. UNESCO describes the wider complex as a planned and defended capital formed in the early nineteenth century.

Hue became the capital of unified Vietnam in 1802 under the Nguyen dynasty and remained the political, cultural and religious centre until 1945. The Complex of Hue Monuments was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1993. Its management is assigned to the Hue Monuments Conservation Centre, which is responsible for protection, research, restoration and visitor management.

Kien Trung Palace therefore gave the 24 September programme a setting within the central ceremonial landscape rather than a separate city venue. The relationship between the children’s games and the palace courtyard linked a current festival activity with the surviving layout of the Nguyen imperial capital. UNESCO’s description of the monument complex records the site’s history and its place within Hue City.

What the 24 September programme means for the heritage site

The Royal Mid-Autumn Festival was one element of a wider September programme in Hue Festival 2026. Other listed activities included lantern processions, lion and dragon performances, music and a further programme at Kien Trung Palace on 25 September.

For cultural travellers, the dated event provides a recent example of how the Imperial City is being used for programmes alongside conservation work. The festival was not simply presented as a city-centre celebration: its venue, games and performances were specified within the palace grounds. The organiser’s listing gives the festival programme and palace venue.

Visiting Imperial City of Hue: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• The Royal Mid-Autumn Festival took place on 24 September 2026 at Kien Trung Palace Courtyard inside the Imperial City.
• The listed programme has passed, so the specific lantern displays, royal games and performances belonged to that 24 September event.
• The Imperial City stands within the Hue Citadel on the Perfume River in Hue. UNESCO places the monument complex in central Vietnam and identifies the Imperial City as part of the royal capital ensemble.
• Vietnamese is the official language and the national currency is the Vietnamese dong.
• Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.

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Frequently asked questions about Imperial City of Hue

When did the Royal Mid-Autumn Festival take place at Imperial City of Hue?

The Royal Mid-Autumn Festival took place on 24 September 2026 at Kien Trung Palace Courtyard inside the Imperial City.

What is Imperial City of Hue?

It is the central royal enclosure within the wider Hue Citadel, containing the Imperial Residence, the Forbidden Purple City and related palaces.

Where is Imperial City of Hue and how do you get there?

The Imperial City is in Hue, Vietnam, within the historic citadel beside the Perfume River.