This morning, August 30: General rehearsal of the A80 program at Ba Dinh Square

This morning, August 30, at Ba Dinh Square (Hanoi), a state-level rehearsal for the military parade and march to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution and the National Day of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (A80) took place. Since late at night on August 29, thousands of people continued to flock to the central streets of Hanoi to wait for the time to watch the rehearsal for the military parade and march.

Báo Sài Gòn Giải phóng•29/08/2025

The rehearsal program began at 6:30 a.m. with the torch procession, lighting the pyre - a symbol of the aspiration of the Vietnamese people.

Nearly 50,000 people participated in the rehearsal program, with all components and forces. Of which, the parade force had more than 16,000 people, including: 4 honor guard groups; 43 groups representing the people's armed forces; foreign military groups; military vehicles, artillery , special police vehicles; 12 mass parade groups and 1 cultural - sports group. The background force included the honor guard and 29 standing groups, including 18 armed forces groups and 11 mass groups.

The forces participating in the sea parade (at Cam Ranh Khanh Hoa military port) were shown on a screen with narration at the rehearsal, including: Navy, Coast Guard, Border Guard and Military Region 5, with many types of weapons and equipment: command ships; maritime patrol aircraft, anti-submarine helicopters; submarine squadrons, missile frigates, anti-submarine frigates, fast attack missile boats, naval gunboats; Coast Guard ship squadrons; Border Guard and Standing Militia Squadron, along with many modern means and equipment.

At the same time, in the area in front of My Dinh Stadium, 15 105mm ceremonial guns of the Artillery - Missile Command also performed a salute in the rehearsal program.

After passing through the podium at Ba Dinh Square, the parade groups split into many directions, passing through the central streets of Hanoi .

Hanoi City Police organized traffic flow and directions for vehicles serving the A80 rehearsal program throughout Hanoi from 10:00 p.m. on August 29 to 1:00 p.m. on August 30.

According to SGGP reporters, at 11 p.m. the same day, vehicles were banned from entering the area where the parade passed through, due to the large number of people coming here.

The rain in the capital became heavier as the night went on, but that did not dampen the spirits of the people. From the afternoon of the same day, more and more people from all over the country came to Hanoi. Because it was forecasted that Hanoi might have rain during the night and the morning of the rehearsal, most people brought umbrellas, backdrops, tarpaulins and tents to set up on the streets where the parade groups passed.

Ms. Tong Dieu Huyen from Ho Chi Minh City said that she left on August 28, renting a place on Nguyen Luong Bang Street for convenience on her way to Hanoi. On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu Victory, Ms. Huyen also went to Dien Bien to join the group of people cheering on the parades.

“There is nothing more joyful than joining the crowd carrying red flags and yellow stars; even though we are tired, hungry, and wet from the rain, there is nothing more joyful than joining the holiday atmosphere,” Ms. Huyen shared.

Joining the crowd, Mr. Nguyen Duc Manh and two relatives from Ninh Binh, holding umbrellas and lining up since noon on Nguyen Thai Hoc Street, said that from the afternoon until now, people have been waiting tirelessly, singing together songs praising the Party, President Ho Chi Minh, praising the country... so the spirit is passed from person to person, and just like that, the whole street sings a proud song...

>> Image captures people waiting to watch the parade rehearsal: