Legendary Night Festival in Hoi An

A festival dedicated to the moon, somewhat like the yearly Mid Autumn Festival, the Legendary Night Festival in Hoi An differs from its annual counterpart mainly in the frequency of its commemoration. The Legendary Night Festival in Hoi An is popular under many names. Colloquially referred to as the “Traditional Festival in Hoi An”, its other official name is “Hoi An Full Moon Night”. As is evident from the name, the Legendary Night Festival in Hoi An is a night festival. More specifically it is a moon festival.
This enchanting festival of the Legendary Night Festival in Hoi An is a monthly ritual of homage and gratitude to the moon. The most alluring characteristic of this festival is the fact that for that one night every month, the town of Hoi An transforms itself into an early 19th century town. Artificial lightings are turned off and vehicles are ordered off the streets. The Legendary Night Festival in Hoi An is held on the 14th day of each Vietnamese lunar month, on a full moon night. On this occasion, the locals walk the moon and lantern lit streets in old traditional costumes. Visitors to the town can witness people of different ages reciting poetry or performing traditional Vietnamese operas on the street. In this festival the revelry lies in the quiet, the peace, the poetry and the enchantment.

The streets on the Legendary Night Festival in Hoi An that are decorated with colorful traditional lanterns, truly is a mesmerizing sight. Added to this is soulful folk and opera music wafting from all corners punctuated by the chanting of lyrical poetry. All of these take place between 5:30pm and 10:00pm. The atmosphere is one of nostalgia. Revelry is brought out only in participation and laughter of the moving audience. A major draw of the Legendary Night Festival in Hoi An is the fact that it is one of the few exotic and enchanting festivals around the world which does not require a season to visit.