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The coastal port city of Haiphong comes alive beneath the vivid red of blooming flamboyant trees every May, marking the return of the annual Red Flamboyant Festival.
Held as a cultural highlight of the city, the event features a wide range of performances and community activities that reflect Haiphong’s historical significance and evolving identity.
The 2025 edition of the festival, set to take place on May 13, will mark 70 years since the city’s liberation. This year’s theme connects the city’s historical milestones with its contemporary development goals, emphasising the government’s commitment to reinforcing cultural values while supporting inclusive growth and international integration.
Through this integration of past and present, the festival exemplifies Haiphong’s vision for the future, merging its rich heritage with its aspirations for modern growth.
It is a special year for the city as it marks 70 years since its liberation Photo: Thanh Tan
A flamboyant brand
Since its inception in 2012, the Red Flamboyant Festival has become one of Haiphong’s most prominent cultural and tourism events, marking an important fixture on the city’s annual calendar. It was initiated as both a tribute to the city’s iconic flamboyant trees and a celebration of its historical identity and community spirit.
What began as a local initiative has gradually attracted national and international attention. With participation from central government representatives, provincial leaders, and diplomatic delegations, the event has grown into a platform for cultural exchange and regional promotion.
Each May, it draws tens of thousands of domestic and international visitors to Haiphong, contributing to the city’s tourism development targets.
As Haiphong accelerates its socioeconomic development, the Red Flamboyant Festival has evolved into a strategic vehicle for showcasing the city’s transformation, and reflects the city’s ambitions to position itself as a hub for innovation, investment, and heritage-based tourism.
Over the years, the festival has grown into a significant tourism initiative, strengthening Haiphong’s national and international profile. It serves not only to highlight the city’s ongoing urban renewal efforts but also to support the preservation and promotion of its cultural identity.
According to Tran Thi Hoang Mai, director of Haiphong Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, the city continues to integrate cultural development within broader economic strategies.
“Efforts are underway to link heritage preservation with the expansion of tourism services, community engagement, and local development. These initiatives are positioned within the city’s long-term vision for sustainable urban growth,” Mai said.
For residents and visitors alike, the festival presents an opportunity to engage with the city’s heritage through a combination of cultural expression and public celebration.
This annual occasion commemorates a pivotal moment in 1955, when the departure of the last French troops signalled the end of colonial rule in the region. The event not only marked Haiphong’s liberation but also cemented its decisive role in Vietnam’s broader struggle for independence.
Nearly seven decades on, the memory of that milestone continues to echo through the city’s streets, not as a distant history lesson, but as a living part of its cultural fabric.
An annual highlight
The 2025 edition of the Red Flamboyant Festival holds significant historical and cultural importance for Haiphong, aligning with two major milestones that enhance the city’s profile both nationally and internationally.
Last year, UNESCO announced that it recognised the Halong Bay-Cat Ba Archipelago as Vietnam’s first interprovincial World Natural Heritage site. The recognition underscores the region’s exceptional natural beauty and ecological significance, further enhancing Haiphong’s position as a top destination within Vietnam’s strategic tourism corridors.
The 2025 Red Flamboyant Festival, held at Haiphong’s new political and administrative centre, will celebrate these milestones in a grand ceremony attended by tens of thousands of delegates and tourists.
Following the ceremony, a cultural performance themed “70 Years of Faith and Aspiration to Rise Up” will be presented, reflecting the city’s journey over the past seven decades and its dreams for the future.
A notable highlight of the festival will be the integration of cutting-edge 3D mapping technology, which will transform the exterior of the centre into a dynamic visual display narrating Haiphong’s cultural and historical story. This will be complemented by semi-classical symphonic music, marking the first time this style has been used in the festival.
“The art programme of the festival night is staged with high artistic quality, many innovations, and creativity in staging methods and performance art language, showing a youthful, modern, and dynamic image of Haiphong. The festival night promises to bring delegates, audiences, and tourists deep impressions and feelings about the beautiful, fascinating, culturally rich, and hospitable coastal land,” declared Tran Thi Hoang Mai.
In addition to the performances, Haiphong will for the first time feature a synchronised high and low-altitude fireworks display at six locations throughout the city, accompanied by LED screens and state-of-the-art sound and lighting systems.
The festival will also include a series of cultural and artistic events, showcasing traditional performances such as water puppetry and Ca Tru singing.
Meanwhile, coinciding with the 70th anniversary of Haiphong’s Liberation Day, the Red Flamboyant train will be launched as part of a series of cultural events, including the City’s Food Festival, scheduled to take place on May 9-14 at Haiphong Station.
This new rail service, which connects Hanoi and Haiphong, features 20 modern carriages, offering both comfort and functionality. Two of the carriages stand out with their Indochine-inspired design, blending classic Eastern aesthetics with Western luxury, while the remaining carriages provide 56 flexible rotating seats, LED lighting, and contemporary decor.
According to Mai, the two-hour journey promises a unique travel experience, catering to a range of needs, from relaxation to work and entertainment.
“We hope that this will be a unique railway tourism product, helping to diversify choices for tourists while offering a new and interesting way for visitors to explore Haiphong from a different perspective,” she said.
On the same day, Haiphong is also set to receive the title of “Heroic City”. The title, awarded to the Party Committee, government, and people of Haiphong, acknowledges the city’s remarkable contributions to national defence and its essential role in the national development. Haiphong now joins Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City as one of only three localities to hold the honour.
