«Mid-Autumn in the Ancient Citadel — Son Tay» Festival 2026

   For almost a month the ground around Son Tay's old citadel turns into the largest Mid-Autumn playground west of Hanoi: a fair, giant lantern structures built by residents themselves, and evening parades through the streets. The centrepiece is a lantern-model contest and procession involving 25 neighbourhood groups, each bringing its own piece.

   The model names show how locals tell their own history in paper and light:

   «Carp Turning into a Dragon» and «Lac Bird Rising» — classic folk imagery
«Duong Lam Village Gate», «Kim Quy — Va Temple» and «Son Tay Citadel — Heritage Aglow» — landmarks of this very district
«Son Tinh and Thuy Tinh», «Chu Cuoi and the Banyan Tree», «Moon Boat», «Chicken Family», «Buffalo Mascot», the revolving «keo quan» lantern and a giant star lantern

   The season opens with the «Happy Mid-Autumn 2026» fair on the citadel's pedestrian square: mooncake stalls, OCOP local products, traditional toys, plus hands-on lantern making, mooncake baking, tò he figurine moulding and lion dance performances.

   The two parade rounds fall on 5 September and 12 September. On 19 September the programme moves to Duong Lam for «Moonlit Night in the Ancient Village» — Mid-Autumn among laterite houses rather than town streets.

   The series peaks with the «Đêm hội Trăng rằm — Trung thu Thành cổ — Sơn Tây xứ Đoài» art programme on the evening of 26 September, the 16th day of the eighth lunar month. All 25 neighbourhood groups parade together that night, the lantern-model prizes are handed out, and gifts go to local children, with priority for those from families in hardship. The organisers give no start time beyond «evening».

   The festival runs online in parallel: a public vote for the best lantern model, a photo contest about Son Tay and a video contest about the home region.

   Son Tay sits about 45 kilometres west of central Hanoi, an easy half-day trip that pairs naturally with Duong Lam, one of the country's best-preserved traditional villages. If you have only one evening, choose between the 19 September village night and the 26 September finale in town.

   Bring a child if you have one nearby — these lanterns are built at a scale screens cannot convey.