The HCM City’s annual Tao Đàn Spring Flower Festival is ready to welcome visitors during the Tết (Lunar New Year) holiday. VNA/VNS Photo by Hoàng Tuyết

HCM CITY — Southern provinces are celebrating the Tết (Lunar New Year) holiday with various cultural festivals.

The annual Tao Đàn Spring Flower Festival in Ho Chi Minh City began on Friday night.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Nguyễn Văn Dũng, Vice Chairman of the city People’s Committee, highlighted the festival's cultural significance. He noted that the Tao Đàn Spring Flower Festival embodies the city's unique culture and provides a platform for local and international artisans and gardeners to share their expertise.

He added that, along with the Nguyễn Huệ Flower Street, the festival has become one of the city's signature events each Tết.

The festival, themed “Non Sông Gấm Hoa – Vui Xuân Thái Hòa” (Flourished Land – Spring of Peace), showcases more than 2,620 indigenous and foreign flowers such as mai (ochna), orchids, and plumeria, as well as bonsai plants, trees, and ornamental fish.

The highlight of the festival is a 6.8-metre-high tower made of 680 pots of yellow moth orchids, symbolizing happiness, luck, and prosperity.

The event also features unique trees, including mai (ochna) trees aged 50 years and older, plumeria bonsai aged over 10 years, and a collection of wild orchids.

Local artisans and florists have created several miniature landscapes adorned with flowers for visitors to capture beautiful photos.

The organizers have also arranged exhibitions showcasing painting, photography, and calligraphy that celebrate spring and the city's lifestyle and development.

The festival also includes musical performances, circus acts, and Kylin–Lion–Dragon dances by famous troupes from the city.

Hà Huỳnh Hồng Thu, a resident of Tân Bình District, shared that visiting the Tao Đàn Spring Flower Festival has been a family tradition for years. She noted that the festival's spacious and cool environment is perfect for family activities.

The festival remains open at Tao Đàn Park on Nguyễn Thị Minh Khai Street in District 1 until February 2, which is the fifth day of the Lunar New Year.

Visitors take photos with plumeria bonsai at the Tao Đàn Spring Flower Festival. VNA/VNS Photo by Hoàng Tuyết

Mountain Spring Festival

Tây Ninh Province will host its annual Bà Đen Mountain Spring Festival on February 1.

Themed “Hương Sắc Tây Ninh” (The Beauty of Tây Ninh), the month-long festival will feature a series of festivities and art performances at the Bà Đen Mountain Historical, Cultural, and Tourism Relic Site.

The opening ceremony will showcase music and dance performances by famous singers and troupes, including Tùng Dương, Phúc Bồ, Tiêu Minh Phụng, and the MTV boy band. They will perform songs that celebrate the country and the spirit of spring.

The festival also features Kylin–Lion–Dragon dances, visual arts, and firework displays.

Additionally, performances highlighting the culture and art of the Khmer people have been introduced, including ngũ âm (five tones) and chhay-dăm drum dances.

Ngũ âm, or Pinpeat, is a traditional Khmer musical ensemble that performs ceremonial music at temples and during Khmer dances.

The chhay-dăm drum dance is a unique folk dance of the Khmer people. The chhay-dăm drum is made from the hollow trunk of an old areca tree. Performers can play the drums with their hands, elbows, or heels. This dance was recognised as a national intangible cultural heritage in 2014.

The festival will also feature a garden of tulips in various colors—red, yellow, white, pink, and purple—providing beautiful photo opportunities for visitors.

This year, the festival is expected to welcome more than 1 million visitors. — VNS