# buildwith · Hoi An lantern-making class + Full Moon Lantern Festival: sources

Row #9 of `experiences_v1.csv` (research pass 3 Oct 2026, IST). Dates and deadlines come from `cal.py` (date check 4 Oct 2026, IST), which is the source of truth for dates, with the 4 Oct 2026 source-rule audit applied. The page deliberately shows **no prices** and no contact emails; see the official site.

| Fact used | Source |
|---|---|
| Name, place (Hoi An Ancient Town, Vietnam), continent | https://hoiancreativecity.com/en/hoi-an-legendary-night-a-unique-brand-of-hoi-an (primary) · https://artsandculture.google.com/story/the-colorful-lanterns-of-hoi-an-quang-binh-tourism-department/OgVhzMzesu9PIA?hl=en (secondary) |
| Usual timing: Monthly (14th day of lunar month) | https://hoiancreativecity.com/en/hoi-an-legendary-night-a-unique-brand-of-hoi-an (primary) · https://artsandculture.google.com/story/the-colorful-lanterns-of-hoi-an-quang-binh-tourism-department/OgVhzMzesu9PIA?hl=en (secondary) |
| What you build / use: BUILD a bamboo-and-silk lantern with local artisans | https://hoiancreativecity.com/en/hoi-an-legendary-night-a-unique-brand-of-hoi-an (primary) · https://artsandculture.google.com/story/the-colorful-lanterns-of-hoi-an-quang-binh-tourism-department/OgVhzMzesu9PIA?hl=en (secondary) |
| How a traveller takes part: Make a lantern at one of Hoi An's lantern workshops, then walk the lantern-lit old town on the 14th night of the lunar month | https://hoiancreativecity.com/en/hoi-an-legendary-night-a-unique-brand-of-hoi-an (primary) · https://artsandculture.google.com/story/the-colorful-lanterns-of-hoi-an-quang-binh-tourism-department/OgVhzMzesu9PIA?hl=en (secondary) |
| Participation level: Build (workshop) | https://hoiancreativecity.com/en/hoi-an-legendary-night-a-unique-brand-of-hoi-an (primary) · https://artsandculture.google.com/story/the-colorful-lanterns-of-hoi-an-quang-binh-tourism-department/OgVhzMzesu9PIA?hl=en (secondary) |
| Entry requirements / deadline: Class booking varies by workshop (we don't link individual operators) | https://hoiancreativecity.com/en/hoi-an-legendary-night-a-unique-brand-of-hoi-an (primary) · https://artsandculture.google.com/story/the-colorful-lanterns-of-hoi-an-quang-binh-tourism-department/OgVhzMzesu9PIA?hl=en (secondary) |
| Verification note (research pass): Source audit 4 Oct 2026: the operator site (branded HAPPY TOWN, with leftover spa links) and a hotel blog were removed. Monthly lantern night from Hội An's official Creative City portal; workshops from the provincial tourism department's story. | experiences_v1.csv |
| Date: 23 Oct 2026: Hoi An Full Moon Lantern Night (Hội An Legendary Night). 14th night of the lunar month (Hội An Creative City portal). Calendar date: our lunar-calendar check; Unconfirmed: no official source. Build/use: Make a bamboo-and-silk lantern at a local workshop. How to join: The old town is lantern-lit on the 14th night of the lunar month. | https://hoiancreativecity.com/en/hoi-an-legendary-night-a-unique-brand-of-hoi-an |
| Date: 22 Nov 2026: Hoi An Full Moon Lantern Night (Hội An Legendary Night). 14th night of the lunar month (Hội An Creative City portal). Calendar date: our lunar-calendar check; Unconfirmed: no official source. Build/use: Make a bamboo-and-silk lantern at a local workshop. How to join: The old town is lantern-lit on the 14th night of the lunar month. | https://hoiancreativecity.com/en/hoi-an-legendary-night-a-unique-brand-of-hoi-an |
| Date: 3–6 Dec 2026: Hoi An International Lantern Festival 2026. First edition (Da Nang city tourism portal). New find, not one of the original 27 rows. Build/use: Lantern installations; a hands-on lantern-making area was reported. How to join: Attend; join a lantern class. | https://danangfantasticity.com/en/news/hoi-an-international-lantern-festival-2026-heritage-in-a-kaleidoscope-of-colors |
| Date: 22 Dec 2026: Hoi An Full Moon Lantern Night (Hội An Legendary Night). 14th night of the lunar month (Hội An Creative City portal). Calendar date: our lunar-calendar check; Unconfirmed: no official source. Build/use: Make a bamboo-and-silk lantern at a local workshop. How to join: The old town is lantern-lit on the 14th night of the lunar month. | https://hoiancreativecity.com/en/hoi-an-legendary-night-a-unique-brand-of-hoi-an |
| Date: 21 Jan 2027: Hoi An Full Moon Lantern Night (Hội An Legendary Night). 14th night of the lunar month (Hội An Creative City portal). Calendar date: our lunar-calendar check; Unconfirmed: no official source. Build/use: Make a bamboo-and-silk lantern at a local workshop. How to join: The old town is lantern-lit on the 14th night of the lunar month. | https://hoiancreativecity.com/en/hoi-an-legendary-night-a-unique-brand-of-hoi-an |
| Date: 19 Feb 2027: Hoi An lantern night at Nguyên Tiêu (first full moon of the lunar year). 14th night of the lunar month (Hội An Creative City portal). Calendar date: our lunar-calendar check; Unconfirmed: no official source. Build/use: Make a bamboo-and-silk lantern at a local workshop. How to join: The old town is lantern-lit on the 14th night of the lunar month. | https://hoiancreativecity.com/en/hoi-an-legendary-night-a-unique-brand-of-hoi-an |
| Date: Mar 2027 · date TBC: Hoi An Full Moon Lantern Night: monthly, Mar-Dec 2027 (dates TBC). Held on the 14th night of every lunar month (Hội An Creative City portal); 2027 dates TBC. | https://hoiancreativecity.com/en/hoi-an-legendary-night-a-unique-brand-of-hoi-an |
| Date: Apr 2027 · date TBC: Hoi An Full Moon Lantern Night: monthly, Mar-Dec 2027 (dates TBC). Held on the 14th night of every lunar month (Hội An Creative City portal); 2027 dates TBC. | https://hoiancreativecity.com/en/hoi-an-legendary-night-a-unique-brand-of-hoi-an |
| Date: May 2027 · date TBC: Hoi An Full Moon Lantern Night: monthly, Mar-Dec 2027 (dates TBC). Held on the 14th night of every lunar month (Hội An Creative City portal); 2027 dates TBC. | https://hoiancreativecity.com/en/hoi-an-legendary-night-a-unique-brand-of-hoi-an |
| Date: Jun 2027 · date TBC: Hoi An Full Moon Lantern Night: monthly, Mar-Dec 2027 (dates TBC). Held on the 14th night of every lunar month (Hội An Creative City portal); 2027 dates TBC. | https://hoiancreativecity.com/en/hoi-an-legendary-night-a-unique-brand-of-hoi-an |
| Date: Jul 2027 · date TBC: Hoi An Full Moon Lantern Night: monthly, Mar-Dec 2027 (dates TBC). Held on the 14th night of every lunar month (Hội An Creative City portal); 2027 dates TBC. | https://hoiancreativecity.com/en/hoi-an-legendary-night-a-unique-brand-of-hoi-an |
| Date: Aug 2027 · date TBC: Hoi An Full Moon Lantern Night: monthly, Mar-Dec 2027 (dates TBC). Held on the 14th night of every lunar month (Hội An Creative City portal); 2027 dates TBC. | https://hoiancreativecity.com/en/hoi-an-legendary-night-a-unique-brand-of-hoi-an |
| Date: Sep 2027 · date TBC: Hoi An Full Moon Lantern Night: monthly, Mar-Dec 2027 (dates TBC). Held on the 14th night of every lunar month (Hội An Creative City portal); 2027 dates TBC. | https://hoiancreativecity.com/en/hoi-an-legendary-night-a-unique-brand-of-hoi-an |
| Date: Oct 2027 · date TBC: Hoi An Full Moon Lantern Night: monthly, Mar-Dec 2027 (dates TBC). Held on the 14th night of every lunar month (Hội An Creative City portal); 2027 dates TBC. | https://hoiancreativecity.com/en/hoi-an-legendary-night-a-unique-brand-of-hoi-an |
| Date: Nov 2027 · date TBC: Hoi An Full Moon Lantern Night: monthly, Mar-Dec 2027 (dates TBC). Held on the 14th night of every lunar month (Hội An Creative City portal); 2027 dates TBC. | https://hoiancreativecity.com/en/hoi-an-legendary-night-a-unique-brand-of-hoi-an |
| Date: Dec 2027 · date TBC: Hoi An Full Moon Lantern Night: monthly, Mar-Dec 2027 (dates TBC). Held on the 14th night of every lunar month (Hội An Creative City portal); 2027 dates TBC. | https://hoiancreativecity.com/en/hoi-an-legendary-night-a-unique-brand-of-hoi-an |
| Take-part route "Make a bamboo-and-silk lantern" (Workshop / open build): Hoi An has more than 30 lantern workshops (provincial tourism department). Make a lantern with a local artisan, then walk the old town on Hội An Legendary Night, held on the 14th night of every lunar month, when lanterns replace the street lights. Class times and booking vary by workshop: we don't link a single operator. | Re-worded from the CSV row and the dated items above |
| Take-part route "New: Hoi An International Lantern Festival (3–6 Dec 2026)" (Workshop / open build): A first edition with lantern installations; a hands-on lantern-making area was reported by the Da Nang city tourism portal. | Re-worded from the CSV row and the dated items above |
| Check note: The monthly lantern night is official (Hội An Creative City portal). Exact calendar dates are our check of the 14th lunar day: Unconfirmed: no official source. | CSV verification notes / dated items above |
| Check note: We removed the workshop operator we used to link: its site was branded HAPPY TOWN and carried leftover spa links, so it wasn't clearly a legitimate lantern workshop. | CSV verification notes / dated items above |

## Skills you'll need (section 03)

| Fact used | Source |
|---|---|
| Skills (this experience): Making a Hoi An lantern: shaping a bamboo-rib frame and covering it with silk; Gluing, stretching and trimming fabric neatly over curves; Folding and packing a collapsible lantern to carry home | Skills research, checked 2026-10-04 (IST) |
| Difficulty (our estimate): Beginner; prep time (our estimate): 30 minutes reading; optional 1 practice session. Difficulty and prep time are Curiosta editorial estimates for a first-timer, not organiser figures. | Curiosta editorial estimate |
| Refresher, practice and safety steps: A traditional Hoi An lantern has two stages: the bamboo frame, then the fabric covering. The bamboo is soaked, dried and split into thin ribs, which are fixed between two rings. / Adjust the ribs by eye until the shape is even before any fabric goes on; a lopsided frame shows once lit. / Cut fabric panels to the frame, apply glue sparingly along the ribs, and stretch the silk taut without tearing it. Silk and satin are used because they stretch without ripping. / Trim excess fabric with sharp scissors close to the rib, then add the top grip and tassel. / Class length varies by workshop. Often the artisan prepares the frame and you focus on covering and finishing; ask how to fold it flat for travel. / Light only with an LED or low-heat bulb at home; open flames and silk don't mix. / Make a simple paper lantern on a wire or bamboo-skewer frame at home to practise stretching and gluing over curves. / Practise cutting neat curved edges with fabric scissors on scrap cloth. / Read the provincial tourism department's story on the two-stage process before the class. / Sharp scissors and craft knives: cut away from your body. / Use LED lights in finished silk lanterns, never candles. | Our summary of the resources below |
| Resource (Official; publisher: Hội An Creative City portal (city government)): Hội An Legendary Night: a unique brand of Hội An: Official description of the monthly lantern night: on the 14th night of every lunar month the old town swaps electric lights for lanterns (since 1998). | https://hoiancreativecity.com/en/hoi-an-legendary-night-a-unique-brand-of-hoi-an |
| Resource (Official; publisher: Vietnamese provincial tourism department, published on Google Arts & Culture (partner label: Quang Binh Tourism Department; credits: Quang Nam Province Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism)): The Colorful Lanterns of Hoi An: Illustrated, step-by-step account of bamboo preparation, frame-making and silk covering. | https://artsandculture.google.com/story/the-colorful-lanterns-of-hoi-an-quang-binh-tourism-department/OgVhzMzesu9PIA?hl=en |
| Resource (Official; publisher: Da Nang City Tourism (Danang Fantasticity, official tourism portal)): Hoi An International Lantern Festival 2026: Official note on the festival's hands-on lantern-making booths and artisan exchanges. | https://danangfantasticity.com/en/news/hoi-an-international-lantern-festival-2026-heritage-in-a-kaleidoscope-of-colors |
| No official resource yet: No official video tutorial yet. | Skills research (gap recorded) |

See also: skills guide `skills/lanterns-and-floating-lights/`

## Source audit (4 Oct 2026, IST)

Official sources first; non-official sources only if the event community widely accepts them, with evidence. Links removed or replaced on this page (old links are shown as plain text, not linked):

- Old: `hoianlanternworkshop.com` → New: https://hoiancreativecity.com/en/hoi-an-legendary-night-a-unique-brand-of-hoi-an. Why: Operator site branded 'HAPPY TOWN' with leftover spa social links (Instagram/TikTok/Facebook of a spa) and a commercial seller: not clearly a legitimate lantern workshop. Replaced by Hội An's official Creative City portal (Legendary Night on the 14th lunar night) and the provincial tourism story; class times and booking details are removed.
- Old: `nghevilla.com/en/blog/hoi-an-lantern-festival-2026-calendar-dates` → New: https://artsandculture.google.com/story/the-colorful-lanterns-of-hoi-an-quang-binh-tourism-department/OgVhzMzesu9PIA?hl=en. Why: Hotel blog. Removed; full-moon dates are our check of the 14th lunar day, marked Unconfirmed. The single-calendar 2027 date list (hoianit.com) is removed too.

## Check notes shown on the page

- The monthly lantern night is official (Hội An Creative City portal). Exact calendar dates are our check of the 14th lunar day: Unconfirmed: no official source.
- We removed the workshop operator we used to link: its site was branded HAPPY TOWN and carried leftover spa links, so it wasn't clearly a legitimate lantern workshop.

## Our grouping

- Levels shown: Workshop / open build (our grouping of the CSV participation level "Build (workshop)").
- Usual months used by the month filter: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec.