The Night-time Book and Culture Fair, held from November 21 to 23 at HCM City Book Street, features book exchanges, traditional arts performances and various interactive cultural activities. — VNA/VNS Photo

HCM CITY — HCM City Book Street is piloting a new Night-time Book and Culture Fair from the evening of November 21 to 23, aiming to expand cultural activities after dark and attract more residents and visitors.

The fair, held from 6pm to 10pm each night, is the first trial run of a night-time cultural event at the venue. It seeks to broaden reading-culture activities and gradually form a vibrant evening cultural space along the book street.

According to the management board, most activities at HCM City Book Street currently take place during the day, with footfall dropping significantly after 6pm. As a result, the destination has yet to fully maximise its potential as a key cultural site in the city centre.

The first phase of the Night-time Book and Culture Fair aims not only to extend service hours for visitors but also to transform the book street into a multifaceted cultural experience, offering a space for knowledge exchange, arts and community life beyond office hours.

The initiative aligns with the city’s project on developing the culture industry to 2030. Establishing a night-time cultural model at HCM City Book Street is considered necessary and consistent with the city’s broader cultural development orientation.

Designed around culture, education and the arts, the event contributes to efforts to build a creative, dynamic and culturally rich urban area. It also encourages high-quality night-time cultural consumption and supports the development of a new night tourism product, helping extend visitors’ stay in the city centre and linking the book street with evening tour programmes.

During the three-night programme, visitors can enjoy a range of activities including book exchanges, discussions and meet-ups among reading enthusiasts.

A traditional arts space will feature performances of southern folk music, reformed theatre and Vietnamese classical opera, along with other folk art forms. The opening night on November 21 will present a programme promoting traditional performing arts combined with ethnic music, staged by Trần Hữu Trang Cải Lương Theatre.

The show will feature artists such as Tấn Giao, Trọng Nghĩa, Tâm Tâm, Hùng Vương, Trọng Hiếu, Trúc Phương, Diệp Duy and Như Ý. A thematic stage will introduce a different story each night, while folk games will be integrated with modern interactive elements.

Visitors can also explore spaces introducing traditional craft villages, folk culture and cuisine, alongside interactive activities, creative workshops and souvenir stalls. —VNS