On the evening of 31st May, the Da Nang International Fireworks Festival – DIFF 2025, organised by the Da Nang People’s Committee in collaboration with Sun Group, officially opened, marking the impressive return of the most anticipated cultural and tourism event of the summer in the central coastal city.
With the theme “The Essence of Culture,” the opening night of DIFF 2025 kicked off a series of six firework display nights running from 31st May to 12th July 2025, heralding the longest and grandest festival season in the history of DIFF.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Mr. Le Trung Chinh – Deputy Secretary of the Da Nang Party Committee and Chairman of the Da Nang People’s Committee, stated: “With the theme ‘Da Nang – A New Era’, this year’s festival is not only a top-tier experience of light technology, art, and music, but also a harmonious celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of Da Nang and the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification. This is an occasion for us to affirm our aspirations and determination for growth, and an opportunity for Da Nang to solidify its position as ‘Asia’s Leading Event and Festival City’, continuing to attract international friends to a dynamic, creative, and friendly Da Nang.”
“No other country has a firework festival with ten teams competing like this. I believe it is entirely possible to nominate DIFF 2025 for the Guinness World Records,” affirmed Ms. Nadia Shakira Wong, CEO of Global 2000, the world’s leading fireworks consultancy firm.
Affirming the powerful allure of the beautiful coastal city of Da Nang and the dazzling firework nights over the Han River, over 10,000 seats in the grandstand for the DIFF 2025 opening night were completely filled. The audience joyfully welcomed a multi-sensory artistic extravaganza of music, light, and AR technology, featuring unprecedented and unique experiences. Notably, the dramatic showdown between the host team, Da Nang (Vietnam 1), and the reigning champions, Joho Pyro (Finland), successfully created a brilliant Euro-Asian cultural encounter in the Da Nang sky.
The Formidable Return of Team Da Nang and the Reigning Finnish Champions
As a worthy opener for the largest DIFF season in history, the host team from Da Nang surprised and filled thousands of spectators with pride with their completely fresh, explosive comeback and artistic pyrotechnic skills. Over 20 minutes, more than 5,000 fireworks ascended in unison, weaving with the music to form a magnificent symphony of light, sending a spirited welcome to residents and tourists on the 50th anniversary of the city’s liberation.
The four firework chapters – Harmony, Homage, Integration, and Pioneering & Glory – narrated the cultural journey of Vietnam reaching out to the world. From glittering willow effects and soft, colour-changing bursts to cascading waterfalls and powerful, simultaneous explosions like crashing waves, the audience was swept into a current of emotions, from profound to explosive.
Opening with firework effects programmed to the second against a backdrop of international music like Bonjour Vietnam, Titanium, and Top of the Rock, the display painted a picture of a vibrant, integrated, and constantly developing city. The following chapter then brought forth cherished images of the nation, set to the music of City of Light and Glory, leaving the audience in awe. The emotional peak came when fireworks formed the image of the Marble Mountains against the night sky, blending with the ocean waves, as if to send a message of unity and the city’s identity on the ocean’s shore.
Each chapter was a deeply meaningful slice of culture, from traditional identity to aspirations of global reach, from national pride to a dynamic spirit of innovation. More than just a competitor, Da Nang once again demonstrated its role as a “storyteller through light,” affirming its position as a city of creativity, integration, and connection on the international festival map.
“It was the most wonderful opening to a DIFF season. As a Da Nang resident, I was very moved and proud to witness the host team’s performance celebrating the 50th anniversary of the city’s liberation. My family and I get tickets every year to enjoy the festival atmosphere from the grandstand, but this year was the most impressive for me, the best performance ever by the Da Nang team,” shared Ms. Ha Linh, a local resident.
In contrast to the vibrant, warm, and grand performance from the tropical host team, the “Nordic Lights” display by the Finnish team brought a completely different atmosphere, one as deep and intense as the Nordic spirit itself. Beginning with rousing pop-rock anthems like Diamond Eyes, Liar, and Heroes Are Calling, the audience was immediately drawn into a powerful emotional current, telling the story of a people from thousands of small islands living amidst the vast sea and ice.
The first volleys of fireworks erupted like waves crashing ashore, then suddenly softened to the strains of Stormskärs Maja, a poignant Nordic ballad reminiscent of wooden boats drifting silently through the Baltic Sea fog. Water fireworks, the “master technique” that secured Finland’s victory at last year’s DIFF, were once again used creatively. From the surface of the Han River, sparks seemed to rise from the water, gliding gently before erupting fiercely like columns of water crashing against cliffs. The lighting effects moved fluidly like an undercurrent, powerfully evoking the harsh survival journey of the remote islanders.
The Finnish team dramatically heightened the tension by switching to a rapid succession of high-altitude shells. The entire sky blazed with brilliant green, violet-blue, and vivid pink fireworks, flaring up like the aurora borealis, the magical natural phenomenon of the Nordic region, transporting the audience straight to the frosty skies of Lapland.
In a special moment during one chapter, the Vietnamese audience gasped with delight upon hearing Bóng phù hoa – Vũ trụ cò bay (Ephemeral Shadows – The Stork Universe) played amidst the display. A Vietnamese song resonating amongst Nordic-style explosions served as a friendly greeting, showing Joho Pyro’s respect for and integration with the local culture. Fan-shaped and swirling clusters of fireworks, like storks in flight, created a magical moment of intersection between two seemingly distant cultures.
A Unique Artistic Night on the Banks of the Han River
Besides the thrilling competition of light and sound from the teams, attendees at this year’s DIFF opening also enjoyed an unprecedented artistic space. For the first time at a fireworks festival, large-scale outdoor augmented reality (AR) technology was deployed via the Sun Paradise Land application. Not only did it integrate vivid graphic effects directly onto the paper tickets, but the AR experience also extended across the entire expanse of the romantic Han River.
The Sky AR project, the outdoor augmented reality system for DIFF 2025, boasts a massive scale, with a coverage of up to 600,000m² and nearly 10 million pixels. It is the largest outdoor AR system ever applied in a cultural and tourism event in Vietnam. Crucially, each graphic effect was tailor-made to match the theme of each competition night, creating artistic, vivid, and highly personalised visual displays.
During the opening night, by simply raising their phones to the sky, spectators could see Cham towers inspired by the world’s largest Museum of Cham Sculpture in Da Nang, which houses over 2,000 artefacts of ancient culture amidst modern life. They could also admire the graceful, mystical, and enchanting Cham dances of a land rich in cultural exchange. The image of the Whale God swimming across the Da Nang night sky, carrying the coastal belief in favourable weather and safe fishing, delighted many tourists.
The opening night’s entertainment also began with the performance “The Nation’s Lullaby,” combining the powerful voices of divo Tung Duong and ‘Ca nuong’ (ceremonial singer) Kieu Anh, alongside a professional dance troupe. Following this, singer Thu Hang, a former winner of the Sao Mai Contest, continued the heroic atmosphere with the song “Da Nang Dawn,” a proud narrative of the land by the Han River’s powerful rise, ready for a glorious new era. The traditional-sounding melody, combined with a contemporary arrangement, drew the audience into a captivating space where Vietnamese cultural identity was expressed through emotional sounds.
A series of performances on the theme “Aspirations of the Vietnamese,” featuring the voice of Nguyen Tran Trung Quan and elaborate choreography, evoked a spirit of national pride and ambition. Notably, “Chi Dep” (from the popular TV show) Kieu Anh returned with her performance of “Phong nu x Co doi thuong ngan” which has recently been a media sensation, with its mystical colours of Mother Goddess worship, rich in Vietnamese cultural identity, creating a fresh highlight in the program’s artistic flow.
The stage atmosphere grew even more fervent with a performance of “Fly Me To The Moon” and a traditional Finnish dance presented by the Mai Trang dance troupe in a liberal and transformative style, taking the audience on a “flight” through a borderless artistic space. A vibrant and explosive Can-can dance concluded the emotional opening night, serving as a lively invitation to tourists: continue to join DIFF 2025 – “Da Nang – A New Era” for the upcoming firework nights.
David, a tourist from the USA, shared: “It was amazing. I’ve never been to a more beautiful and spectacular fireworks festival. It’s not just fireworks; Da Nang has technology, it has a music festival. If you’re hesitating, don’t think twice. You absolutely have to come to the grandstand to feel this incredible atmosphere. I will definitely be back for the next night.”
Following the opening, the subsequent firework nights will be held on Saturday evenings in the following weeks, with a one-week break before the final. The themes and participating teams are as follows:
- Night 2 (7th June): Creative Art, between Vietnam 2 – Poland
- Night 3 (14th June): A Connecting Journey, between Canada – China
- Night 4 (21st June): Sustainable Development, between Portugal – United Kingdom
- Night 5 (28th June): Guided by Technology, between South Korea – Italy
- Final Night (12th July): Welcoming a New Era
Contributing to the festival’s success are major sponsors such as Vietnam Airlines and Bizman Media (Diamond Sponsors), Chicilon Media (Media Partner), and many other reputable partners including Pacific Airlines, Hai Tran Media & Airs Group, and the Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV).
On this occasion, the National Citizen Commercial Joint Stock Bank (NCB) is offering up to 30% off when customers purchase DIFF tickets through the NCB iziMobile app. Customers simply need to open the NCB iziMobile digital banking app, select the prominent DIFF banner on the homepage, then choose “Sun World Ba Na Hills – DIFF 2025 Fireworks Tickets,” select the desired viewing date, and complete the discounted ticket purchase.
Sourse: diff.vn
Photo: Internet
