HCM CITY — Like every year, these last days of the year are days when artisan Văn Tòng's workshop in District 12 is in the process of preparing sculptures of the Eastern zodiac for the Nguyễn Huệ flower street display.

Dozens of workers are urgently rushing to complete the final stages of the floral arrangements.

Women paint cat sculpture- the zodiac of this year. VNS Photo Xuân Đăng

Lê Hoàng, assistant of artist Văn Tòng, said that the sculptures will come in a variety of sizes this year from 0.6 metres to 5.5 metres.

Most of sculptures are ready to be display. VNS Photo Xuân Đăng

Nguyễn Đông Hoa, deputy general director of Saigontourist Group, the organiser of the event, said that this year, visitors to the flower street will have the opportunity to admire all 20 displays that have appeared over two decades at the flower street main gate.

There will be variety of sizes this year from 0.6 metres to 5.5 metres. VNS Photo Xuân Đăng

Every year, Nguyễn Huệ Street in District 1, which has a pedestrian-only zone down its heart, transforms into a ‘flower street’ during the Lunar New Year.

The theme this year will be happy and prosperous spring.

The flower street will be open from 7pm January 19 to 9pm January 26, one day longer than previous editions, while the decorations will begin to be put in place from January 3, according to the organisers.

The display of Nguyễn Huệ Flower Street's main gate this year. Photo courtesy of Saigontourist.

Like in previous years, environment-friendly materials will be used for the decorations.

To usher in the Year of the Cat, most of the event’s concepts and decorations will pay homage to the animal, with 70 mascots set up along the street.

This year, the highlight of the design will be a 40-metre-long glass bridge, where visitors can admire flowers from above.

Visitors can admire flower from above thank to the 40-metre-glass bridge. Photo courtesy of Saigontourist

The annual flower show, which accentuates the festive culture of Tết, has become hugely popular and attracts more than a million visitors a year. — VNS