TẾT FUN: The Cửu Long (Mekong Delta) city of Cần Thơ offers several cultural and sports activities to celebrate Tết (Lunar New Year). VNA/VNS Photo hanh Liêm

CẦN THƠ – The Cửu Long (Mekong Delta) city of Cần Thơ has launched a series of cultural and sports activities to celebrate Tết (Lunar New Year).

The city’s flower fair to welcome the Year of the Snake showcases thousands of flower pots from farmers in Cần Thơ and neighbouring provinces.

The fair features a wide range of flowers such as mai (ochna), đào (peach blossom), chrysanthemum, orchid, bougainvillaea, sunflower and rose, along with several decorative plants and bonsai.

The fair will run at the Tây Đô Square in Cái Răng District until January 28.

Nguyễn Ngọc Hè, deputy chairman of the Cần Thơ City’s People’s Committee, said the flower fair offered opportunities for businesses, traders and gardeners in the Mekong Delta to promote cooperation and trading.

Cần Thơ also holds the Tết Tây Đô 2025 Festival with the theme Dòng Chảy Tết Việt (Traditional Tết) to promote traditional Vietnamese Tết and the culinary culture of the city and regional provinces.

Visitors can experience traditional dishes for Tết from different regions prepared by chefs from restaurants and experts from culinary associations in the city.

They can learn how to decorate a five-fruit tray consisting of a custard apple, a coconut, a papaya, a mango and a fig to wish for good fortune.

The organiser also set up more than 100 booths to introduce specialties and OCOP (one commune - one product) products from 30 provinces and cities.

The festival will close on January 23.

TẾT FOOD: The Tết Tây Đô 2025 Festival introduces traditional dishes for Tết. VNA/VNS Photo Thanh Liêm

The city’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism has launched the annual fair called Sắc Xuân Miệt Vườn (Spring in the Countryside) at the Museum of Cần Thơ in Ninh Kiều District until January 24.

The fair honours local traditional crafts of bamboo and rattan weaving, the making of wooden models of the Khmer ghe ngo (long boat), scarf weaving, and toys made with coconut leaves by artisans in the region.

The event also introduces traditional dishes of Tết such as bánh tét (cylindrical glutinous rice cake), kiệu (pickled scallion bulbs), spring rolls, and various kinds of dried fruits and jams.

Traditional art performances such as tài tử music and water puppetry are being held to entertain visitors.

In addition, the fair includes an ông đồ (calligraphers) market to offer calligraphy works for visitors to wish for luck, happiness and prosperity, and a book stall for visitors to take a rest and enjoy their favourite books.

Both activities remain open until February 2, or the fifth day of Lunar New Year.

According to the department, the fair aims to preserve and promote the cultural heritage of Vietnamese people, and introduce the land, people and culture of Cần Thơ to local and international visitors during the Tết holiday.

Cần Thơ’s annual Kylin – Lion – Dragon Festival will be held on January 23 and 24 at Lưu Hữu Phước Park in Ninh Kiều District.

The festival will attract 15 teams from the city, HCM City and neighbouring provinces of Vỉnh Long, Long An, Hậu Giang, An Giang and Đồng Tháp, who will compete in categories of Lân Lên Mai Hoa Thung (Kylins Climb a Moutain), and dragon dance.

The city’s flower road will open from January 27 to February 3 at Võ Văn Tần and Nguyễn Thái Học Street in Ninh Kiều District.

A countdown music gala will set off on January 27 in Ninh Kiều Wharf to welcome the Year of the Snake, while a fireworks display will begin at midnight and last 15 minutes.

The National Motor Racing Championship will begin at 2pm on February 2 at Cần Thơ Stadium. – VNS