On the night of 29/8, residents and tourists packed the sidewalks at the intersection of Thanh Nien and Quan Thanh streets. More than 10 eateries stayed open all night to serve customers. This area served as a staging point for wheeled and tracked vehicles before they proceeded to Ba Dinh Square.

Eateries at the beginning of Thanh Nien Street open all night. Photo: Tam Anh

Eateries at the beginning of Thanh Nien Street open all night. Photo: Tam Anh

Bao Ngan, the owner of a casual eatery at number 11, was busy preparing food. She explained that while she usually closes in the afternoon, she would stay open all night for both the rehearsal and the official ceremony on 2/9. In addition to serving meals priced between 30,000 and 50,000 VND, she also rented out seats for 150,000 VND. The area in front of her eatery could accommodate about 10 people.

A few doors down, Ong Ba Tao Pho, with its small courtyard tucked away in an alley, was also filled with customers. The eatery offered sweet treats like tofu pudding, various che desserts, and other sweets. To accommodate customers who purchased seats for 100,000 VND per person, the eatery remained open overnight. They also served customers sitting across the street on the sidewalk, using security personnel as delivery people.

"The soldiers and police officers on duty here are very friendly and willing to help us deliver food across the street all night," the owner said.

Many eateries on streets near Ba Dinh Square, such as Hoang Hoa Tham, Thuy Khue, and Doi Can, also remained open past midnight. While the parade didn't pass through these streets, they served as staging areas before entering Ba Dinh Square. Ha My, the owner of a bamboo shoot and meatball noodle shop at 11 Thuy Khue, said that while she usually closes at 2 p.m., she would also stay open all night, stocking up on as much food for the evening as she would for the daytime.

Inside a cafe on Nguyen Thai Hoc Street at 11 p.m.. Photo: Bich Phuong

Inside a cafe on Nguyen Thai Hoc Street at 11 p.m.. Photo: Bich Phuong

Several cafes on Nguyen Thai Hoc Street, near the Cua Nam intersection, also stayed open all night. Viet Anh, the owner of Aroids Cafe, explained that for both the rehearsal and the official ceremony, he would open from noon until the following day to serve parade-goers.

On 29/8, the cafe started filling up at noon and stopped accepting customers at 5 p.m., reaching full capacity at about 100 people, with a surcharge of 200,000 VND per person. Near midnight, the cafe was filled with the sounds of singing and cheering from people in the rain. "This is a rare sight. We had to increase our staff. I also stayed to support the staff and join in the celebration with the residents and tourists," Viet Anh said.

The waiting area at Hanoi Railway Station on Le Duan Street, normally open until 11 p.m. after the last train, also remained open all night for parade spectators. Inside, air conditioning and restrooms were available free of charge. Most people lined up outside on the sidewalk, some taking advantage of the space to buy food or rest. The waiting area, which usually sells 100 fried cakes, stocked 1,000 for the event.

Food stall inside Hanoi Railway Station. Photo: Tu Nguyen

Food stall inside Hanoi Railway Station. Photo: Tu Nguyen

Sidewalk vendors around the area were also bustling, offering late-night snacks like bread, eggs, and other easy-to-carry items. Most vendors doubled or tripled their usual stock, selling at regular prices or with only a slight 10% increase.

Manh Dung, 55, explained that his wife usually runs their stall until 7 p.m. before going home for dinner. However, for the rehearsal and the official ceremony, they both worked through the night. Normally, they sell drinks like iced tea and soft drinks, but they added snacks like chips, sunflower seeds, boiled eggs, and raincoats for customer convenience.

"I work as a security guard, so I'm used to staying up late. I really love this atmosphere, so I decided to join the festivities by selling goods," Dung said. He kept his iced tea price at 5,000 VND per cup and offered free drinks to volunteers and other event staff.

The parade rehearsal for the 80th National Day celebrations took place at 6:30 a.m. on 30/8 at Ba Dinh Square. It featured a full contingent of forces, including ground troops, motorized units, air and naval forces. The parade involved approximately 16,000 people, comprising 43 marching blocks, 18 stationary blocks, and 14 blocks of military artillery and special vehicles from the Army and Police.

Reporting team