If you want to add an event to a November stay in Hanoi, start with the mid-month craft festival if you enjoy handmade objects, or the Japanese community festival on November 29 if you prefer performances and food stalls. Film enthusiasts staying toward the end of the month can also consider the Hanoi International Film Festival.
The three offer different kinds of visits: exhibitions and making processes at the craft festival, films and exchanges with filmmakers at HANIFF, and community performances and stalls at the Japanese festival.
This advance guide is based on official information checked on October 27, 2026. All times are local to Vietnam. Planned schedules may change.
Match an event to your dates
The craft festival: see how handmade objects take shape
Scheduled for November 13–16, the craft festival will centre on the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long. Its programme includes Vietnamese and international craft displays, making demonstrations, creative design and craft-related fashion. Photography, flowers and ornamental plants, and food spaces are also listed. Official Hanoi Agricultural Extension Center announcement
Alongside finding objects you like, you can focus on the materials and work that go into making them. It is worth considering if you are curious about the connection between traditional craft, contemporary design and clothing.
Choose whether finished pieces or demonstrations interest you more. Make the exhibition areas your priority if you want to compare objects; time your visit around a demonstration if watching the handwork is the main reason to go.
The citadel is the main venue, but some experiences and craft-village visits are planned elsewhere. The announcement reviewed for this guide did not establish admission prices, booking conditions for individual experiences or a detailed demonstration timetable.
HANIFF: watch a film and hear from the people behind it
The eighth Hanoi International Film Festival is scheduled for November 28–December 2. VEC’s announcement describes screenings and exchanges between audiences and Vietnamese and international filmmakers. An exhibition presenting Hanoi through cinema is also planned for November 27–December 2 at 93 Dinh Tien Hoang Street. VEC’s HANIFF announcement
If you rarely encounter Vietnamese cinema, a screening could offer another way to look at the city and its people. If filmmaking interests you, look for a session that includes an exchange after the film.
The opening ceremony and opening-film screening are listed at different venues: VEC for the ceremony and the National Cinema Center for the film. Plan your journey around the specific programme you intend to attend.
The VEC announcement reviewed here says the film timetable and ticket or registration arrangements will be announced later. Keep the festival on your shortlist, then allocate time once the film, subtitle language and screening session are clear. Admission to the opening ceremony and access to ordinary screenings should be treated separately.
The Japanese festival: combine community performances and food stalls
The Japanese Festival in Hanoi is scheduled for November 29, from 11:00 to 18:00, at the Hanoi Japanese School, 1 Ham Nghi Street. The official overview includes Japanese–Vietnamese cultural and food stalls and family-oriented activities. Official festival website
The published performer list includes children’s dance, K-pop and hip-hop, Shorinji Kempo, cheer dance, ballet and hula. It brings together schools, clubs and community groups active in Hanoi. Official performer list and stage times
This is a useful option if you would rather browse stalls and choose performances along the way than commit to one long show. Pick the acts you want to see first, then use their stage times to decide when to arrive.
A Japanese festival ticket costs VND 400,000 per ticket, including VAT, covering admission plus one main dish, one dessert and one drink. You do not need to select your menu when purchasing. Applications and purchases are listed as open until November 22. Children under six do not need an admission ticket; that provision should not be read as including food for children. Official ticket notice
For a mid-month stay, consider the craft displays and demonstrations. For an outing on November 29, compare the Japanese festival’s stalls and stage programme with the kind of day you want. HANIFF becomes a clearer reason to change another sightseeing plan once you have a specific film in mind.
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