Hanoi Fireworks and Hydraulic Drone Show to Celebrate 80th National Day

Hanoi has officially announced a large-scale plan to host fireworks shows and hydraulic drone performances in celebration of the 80th anniversary of National Day. The events will take place from mid-August to early September 2025. For the first time, the capital will simultaneously deploy both high-tech visual art forms across multiple public spaces, combined with a series of key cultural and political activities. According to Plan No. 158/KH-UBND issued on 10/06/2025, high-altitude fireworks will be displayed at five locations: Hoan Kiem Lake, Thong Nhat Park, Van Quan Lake, My Dinh National Stadium, and West Lake. Notably, the hydraulic drone performances will be held at West Lake from 09/08 to 30/08 in a fully socialized format, offering a unique visual experience to residents and tourists.

With a renewed approach to public cultural activities, this event series aims not only to honor the historical significance of National Day on 02/09 but also to enhance visual engagement and integrate technology into urban artistic performances. Particularly notable is the combination of drones with lighting and water effects, creating a dynamic and immersive show space ideally suited to West Lake's terrain and public viewing demands. Designed with modern techniques, synchronized lighting, music, and water features, the performance reimagines traditional patriotic imagery in a lively and contemporary format, appealing especially to younger audiences and digital-native generations.

From an event management and tourism development perspective, the program marks a significant elevation in how public celebrations are organized in Hanoi. Expanding the scale, upgrading performance quality, and incorporating advanced projection technologies not only generates strong media impact but also enhances the attractiveness of the inner city as a tourism destination. These highly interactive events are expected to gain wide traction across social platforms, encouraging greater participation from both domestic and international visitors and reinforcing Hanoi's position as a cultural and technological tourism hub. In the context of creative tourism becoming a dominant trend in the region, Hanoi's political and cultural status gives it strategic advantages in leading the integration of artistic innovation into public life.

Selecting West Lake as the central venue for tech-based light shows reflects a strategic vision in urban planning and the development of creative spaces. West Lake is not only a unique ecological and cultural landscape but also connects key heritage tourism areas such as Ba Dinh, the Old Quarter, walking streets, museums, and craft villages. With its vast water surface and open scenery, West Lake serves as an ideal stage for new technologies and a focal point for visitors interested in photo-worthy experiences, urban exploration, and cultural discovery. This connectivity supports the growth of nighttime tourism products such as light journeys, performance art tours, culinary trails, and digital interactive activities.

In addition to fireworks and drone shows, Hanoi will also carry out a variety of parallel programs, including national live television broadcasts, architectural light mapping at heritage sites, historical photo exhibitions, academic forums, and patriotic education initiatives in schools, neighborhoods, and public institutions. The coordination among government agencies, artistic organizations, and media units ensures consistent implementation from content to delivery, highlighting the political and cultural significance of the holiday. Educational and historical components are integrated in a modern, accessible way, helping young generations engage with national identity through dynamic formats that inspire pride and memory.

The socialized approach to public light performances also opens opportunities for cross-sector cooperation between government, businesses, and creative communities. When drone tech firms, event organizers, visual artists, and content creators come together to co-produce large-scale shows, an urban event ecosystem begins to take shape, fostering innovation and activating local capacities. Hanoi becomes a testing ground for high-tech public performances, encouraging growth across related sectors such as lighting and sound engineering, creative technology, digital media, event services, and entertainment-based tourism.

The fireworks and hydraulic drone performances to mark the 80th anniversary of National Day also help redefine travel behavior, shifting attention toward deep, meaningful cultural experiences rooted in local identity. Instead of focusing only on short-term leisure trips, residents and visitors gain access to immersive public art events, thematic urban journeys, and vibrant visual moments. This shift enhances visitor engagement, prolongs stays, and adds experiential value, all of which support Hanoi's broader effort to restructure its tourism offerings into creative, friendly, identity-rich products that match modern expectations.

In the medium term, Hanoi can scale this model into an annual branded event series tied to historical dates or peak tourism seasons, such as Lunar New Year, National Day, summer holidays, or sports and technology occasions. A well-managed "West Lake Light Festival" could become a national cultural fixture while providing content for high-quality live broadcasts and global media coverage. With its roadmap to become a creative city and national tourism center, Hanoi is actively demonstrating leadership in merging technology, artistry, and heritage into distinctive tourism experiences.

By organizing various large-scale artistic formats such as high-altitude fireworks, water-based light performances, architectural lighting, and multimedia storytelling, Hanoi generates a strong visual and emotional impact. In the digital era, high-tech shows like hydraulic drone performances serve not only as entertainment but also as valuable media content. Millions of shares, video recordings, photo captures, and digital narratives surrounding the event can be transformed into promotional assets for Hanoi, while simultaneously producing rich data for tourism strategy development and service optimization.

With advantages in geography, infrastructure, natural scenery, and experience in event hosting, Hanoi is steadily asserting its pioneering role in the advancement of technology-integrated cultural tourism. The fireworks and drone show of 2025 will not only serve as a historical milestone for the capital but also provide clear proof of its capability to manage large-scale, modern, culturally rich events in a dynamic and forward-looking urban environment. This is an opportunity for Hanoi to further strengthen its brand as a smart, friendly, human-centered, and culturally vibrant destination amid the context of global integration.