Ly Thai To square in the centre of Hanoi hosted the sixth version of the Dragon Dance Festival which took place from October 3 to October 4 as part of the 1,010th celebration of Thang Long-Hanoi, with a large number of local residents and tourists attending the cultural event. 

The festival, organised by Hanoi’s Department of Culture and Sports, takes place on pedestrian streets around Ho Guom, also known as Sword Lake, over the weekend.

Dragon dancers from the capital put on an exceptional performance for the crowds to enjoy.

Each performance aims to show various historical events from Hanoi’s history.

The participating teams put on a unique art event that excites those in attendance at the festival.

A typical performance lasts between five and seven minutes.

The performance requires the artist to be both meticulous and skillful.

Whilst each dance features dragons, some other sacred animals are also featured, such as unicorns, turtles, and phoenixes. Crowds enjoy witnessing the “Tu Linh” dance, also known as the Dance of Dragons.

There is no limit placed on the number of members in the participating teams.

A total of 13 teams from different districts located throughout the capital such as Ba Dinh, Hoan Kiem, Long Bien, and Tay Ho participate in the event.

In recent years the festival has developed into an important traditional cultural event that is held in Hanoi, with the occasion usually attracting thousands of residents and tourists.