Children and adults enjoy folk games at the Book and Night Cultural Festival held at the HCM City Book Street until January 4. — VNA/VNS Photo Thu Hương

HCM CITY — Nighttime cultural events in HCM City have attracted scores of visitors during the New Year holiday.

The HCM City Book Street offers traditional cultural experiences for residents and tourists as night descends.

The Book and Night Cultural Festival features a workshop and performances of tài tử music hosted by cultural researchers Nguyễn Lê Tuyên and Châu Minh Tâm, and musician Huỳnh Văn Khải.

Visitors can learn about traditional musical instruments used in tài tử music and the history and development of the traditional art and cải lương (reformed opera).

Tài Tử is a prototype of vọng cổ (traditional tunes) and cải lương of the southern region, where the musical forms originated 100 years ago.

Musicians play traditional instruments, including the đàn kìm (two-stringed guitar), đàn tranh (16-chord zither) and đàn nhị (two-chord fiddle), to accompany singers who convey different emotions to the audience.

Tài tử music was recognised as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2023.

Workshops on Vietnamese cuisine and tea are being held as well.

Visitors and children can enjoy folk games and traditional craft spaces at the book street.

Nguyễn Thị Mai Khanh of Nhiêu Lộc District said she feels comfortable with the Book Street space at night, where she can read books, enjoy arts performances, and have a good time with her family.

She emphasised that the book street at night is really an interesting cultural space for relaxation every weekend.

Lê Hoàng, director of the HCM City Book Street Company, said the Book and Night Cultural Festival provides a new playground for the city’s nightlife and meets the people’s entertainment needs on the weekend.

The event will be open from 6pm-10pm at Nguyễn Văn Bình Street in Sài Gòn Ward until January 4.

Young people participate in a cosplay contest at the International Cultural Week hosted by the Sài Gòn Zoo and Botanical Gardens until January 4. — Photo courtesy of the zoo

The Sài Gòn Zoo and Botanical Gardens has launched International Cultural Week to welcome the New Year of 2026.

The event includes 80 stalls displaying traditional and favourite dishes from Việt Nam. A wide range of popular dishes from Thailand, Laos, South Korea and Japan are also offered.

The programme introduces traditional crafts such as the making of nón lá (Vietnamese conical hat) and tò he (toy figurines made of rice dough).

Music and dance performances and a cosplay contest are featured as well. — VNS