POPULAR DESTINATION: A traditional music performance at the HCM City Book Street on Nguyễn Văn Bình Street in District 1, a popular destination for local and foreign visitors in the city. Photo courtesy of the book street company

HCM CITY The HCM City Book Street Company is planning to launch a series of events and activities to introduce Vietnamese culture and traditional performing arts to local and foreign visitors in 2025.

The company will cooperate with the city's Union of Literature and Arts Associations to organise talks about traditional arts, and music and dance performances at Book Street on Nguyễn Văn Bình Street in District 1.

Photo and painting exhibitions to highlight the country’s culture and the city’s achievements will be featured as well.

It will also collaborate with the city's Hát Bội (classical drama) Theatre, the Southern Culture Research Club, and the Nguyễn An Ninh Digital Library, which specialises in southern documents, to introduce southern culture and traditional performing arts such as hát bội and cải lương (reformed opera).

The company and its partners will collect public opinions and explore ways to launch nighttime activities at Book Street to attract more visitors.

Talk shows and book introductions will continue to be held at the book street to promote reading habits among the public, particularly young adults and children.

YOUNG READERS: Young people join a painting workshop at Book Street. Photo courtesy of the book street company

There were 270 activities held at Book Street last year, including 14 cultural and political events hosted by the municipal authority, more than 90 book introductions and discussions, tens of interactive playgrounds for students and children, and book, painting and photo exhibitions.

The Book Street welcomed around 3.9 million visitors in 2024, a year-on-year increase of 20 per cent, while the number of books sold was 686,500.

Its revenue reached VNĐ57.3 billion (US$2.25 million) from books and cafe service at the book street,

This year, the company will upgrade facilities at Book Street, particularly by setting up another stage and installing new lighting and sound systems to serve its partners and readers.

The book street was first opened in January 2016, with dozens of book stalls and coffee shops from more than 20 publishers and book distributors in the city such as Trẻ (Youth) Publishing House, Phương Nam Books, Kim Đồng Publishing House, and Mùa Thu (Autumn) Bookstore. VNS.