Festival · 15th day of the lunar new year · Cholon
Lantern Festival in Cholon (Tết Nguyên Tiêu)
Tết Nguyên Tiêu của người Hoa Chợ Lớn
Should you go? Yes: it is Cholon's biggest night of the year and a national intangible heritage. On the 15th day of the first lunar month (Saturday 20 February 2027) the Chinese community's assembly halls light up, lion and dragon troupes fill the streets and a huge parade winds through Chinatown. Expect big crowds and go early.
Current status
2027 programme not announced yet. In 2026 (3 March), An Dong Ward organised parades in the morning and late afternoon through streets such as Hai Thuong Lan Ong, Chau Van Liem, Luong Nhu Hoc and Nguyen Trai, and an evening show from 7:00 pm (Tuoi Tre, March 2026). Expect a similar shape on 20 February 2027; this page will be updated when the route is published.
At a glance
- Next date
- Saturday 20 February 2027 (15th day, 1st lunar month)
- Where
- Cholon: assembly halls on Nguyen Trai and Tran Hung Dao, parade streets around Hai Thuong Lan Ong and Luong Nhu Hoc
- Cost
- Free to watch
- Heritage
- National intangible cultural heritage (2020)
What happens
- A street parade with lion, dragon and unicorn troupes, giant drums, the Eight Immortals and stilt walkers; in 2026 about 1,200 performers took part.
- Cholon's old assembly halls (hội quán), such as Nghia An on Nguyen Trai street, hold rituals and lantern offerings, and some carry their deity through the neighbourhood.
- An evening show at the An Dong Ward Public Service Centre, 105 Tran Hung Dao, broadcast on HTV.
- The customs of the Lantern Festival of Cholon's Chinese community have been on Vietnam's national intangible heritage list since 2020.
How to get there
- Ride-hailing to Nguyen Trai or Tran Hung Dao in Cholon; expect road closures along the parade route.
- Walk the last stretch: streets near the parade are packed.
- Bus 1 from the city centre stops in Cholon.
Local tips
- Pick a spot along the route 30–45 minutes before the parade starts.
- Keep your phone and bag close; crowds are dense.
- Lion troupes 'pick' red envelopes and greens hung outside shops for luck: watch, but leave space for them.
- Assembly halls are working places of worship: dress modestly and ask before photographing rituals.
Watch: videos from past years
Videos by local creators and travellers, linked to their original YouTube channels. View counts as of October 2026.
Show this to your driver
Tết Nguyên Tiêu của người Hoa Chợ Lớn
Các hội quán và đường phố khu Chợ Lớn (phường An Đông, Chợ Lớn)
See next
Last checked: 30 October 2026. Sources: Tuoi Tre, March 2026 · Cellphones S-Forum (Tết 2027 date). Hours and access can change, so check on the day.