TẾT ATTRACTION: The “Trên Bến Dưới Thuyền” (On the Wharf - In the Boat) Floating Flower Fair in District 8 is one of HCM City’s most-visited attractions in Tết (Lunar New Year). — VNA/VNS Photo Thu Hương

HCM CITY — The floating flower fair, one of the HCM City’s most-visited attractions in Tết (Lunar New Year), will open at the Bình Đông Wharf in District 8 from January 25 to February 9 (or December 15-30 of lunar calendar).

The Trên Bến Dưới Thuyền (On the Wharf – In the Boat) fair aims to create a cultural space and a tourism destination for local and foreign visitors during Tết holiday.

It also introduces special kinds of flowers and fruits of the southern region and Việt Nam.

The fair will include stalls and boats displaying various kinds of flowers and fruit from Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta provinces such as Long An, Vĩnh Long and Đồng Tháp, and Đà Lạt City of the Tây Nguyên (Central Highlands) province of Lâm Đồng.

Florists from the city and Đà Lạt will create miniature landscapes arranged with flowers at the event for visitors to have beautiful photos. Colourful floating lanterns will be set up as well.

Vĩnh Long, which is known for having the most famous and largest brick and pottery villages in the Mekong Delta, will showcase its wide variety of terracotta products.

The organiser will also create a zone where ông đồ (calligraphy artisans) can offer calligraphy works for visitors in the hope of having a prosperous and happy new year.

In addition, the festival will include performances of tài tử music on boats along Tàu Hủ cannel, unicorn – lion – dragon dances, and an áo dài (Vietnamese traditional dress) fashion show from February 4-8.

Visitors will also have an opportunity to learn how to make tò he (toy figurines that are made of rice dough), and traditional dishes for Tết such as bánh tét (cylindrical glutinous rice cake) and mứt Tết (candied fruits) at the event.

The floating flower market at Bình Đông Wharf is a familiar destination for city residents during Tết. It attracts sellers from provinces of Long An, Tiền Giang, Bến Tre, Vĩnh Long and Đồng Tháp who sell fruit and flowers to local people to prepare for the most important holiday in Việt Nam.

The Floating Flower Fair is recognised as one of HCM City’s 19 annual signature festivities. — VNS