The opening night of the Light and Heritage Festival at Dao Ky Uc Hoi An featured a dragon and phoenix lantern drone performance, blending drone technology with traditional lanterns to create dynamic light movements for the inaugural event. According to event organizers, the dragon and phoenix symbolize luck and prosperity in East Asian culture, appearing as part of the spring opening ritual.

At the climax, as the dragon and phoenix converged mid-air, flower petals fell as New Year blessings. Following the opening night, visitors can bring these "lucky flowers" to the festival counter to exchange them for spring lucky money, completing a journey from visual spectacle to tangible interaction. Immediately following was an artistic fireworks display accompanied by spring couplets, lighting up the Hoi An sky and kicking off a series of Light and Heritage Festival activities that will last until 30/4.

Fireworks display combined with dragon and phoenix imagery on the opening night. *Dao Ky Uc Hoi An*

Alongside the aerial spectacle, the festival's ground areas also featured large-scale lantern installations and a range of cultural activities. These included craft village exhibition areas, interactive workshops, and the minishow "Chau An Thuyen - A Heritage Painting". These activities foster connections, helping attendees engage with the story of the trading port more visually.

This space also allows visitors to observe, appreciate, and directly experience cultural and traditional stories, contributing to the diversification and revitalization of tourism products at Dao Ky Uc Hoi An.

The "Chau An Thuyen - A Heritage Painting" lantern space on Hoi An night. *Dao Ky Uc Hoi An*

According to Than Thi Thu Huyen, CEO of Dao Ky Uc Hoi An, unlike traditional festival approaches, the opening night of the Light and Heritage Festival embraced the trend of integrating technology into culture to create impact while also expanding heritage storytelling. Light, art, symbols, and experience coexist as parallel layers of content, rather than being separated between performance and sightseeing. The opening night also marked the start of the festival season at Dao Ky Uc Hoi An, extending through the end of the year.

Lucky money envelopes and couplets suspended in the sky as New Year blessings for prosperity. *Dao Ky Uc Hoi An*

"As tourism increasingly emphasizes experiential elements, combining traditional symbols with new performance forms is how we refresh our approach to heritage. Instead of being merely preserved in exhibitions, historical stories are integrated into the festival's flow, becoming part of a discovery journey," Than Huyen added.

Dan Minh