Street performances add colour and energy to the Khánh Hòa Sea Festival 2026.  VNA/VNS Photos

KHÁNH HÒA — Thousands of residents and visitors gathered at April 2 Square and along Trần Phú Street in Nha Trang Ward on Friday evening for the street carnival and float parade of the Khánh Hòa Sea Festival 2026, held under the theme "Symphony of the Blue Sea – A Convergence of Colours".

The event featured 10 elaborately decorated floats and brought together more than 1,500 artists, artisans, performers, beauty queens and art troupes from Việt Nam and abroad. Delegations from Laos, South Korea, Russia and Vanuatu added an international dimension with lively music, dance and street performances, creating a vibrant cultural exchange along Nha Trang Bay.

The evening opened with a light show accompanied by contemporary music, followed by performances celebrating summer, the sea, love for the homeland and the vitality of Khánh Hòa Province. The festive atmosphere reached its peak as a motorcycle escort led the parade, with the floats making their way past the main stage to enthusiastic cheers from spectators.

Each float reflected a different aspect of Khánh Hòa Province's natural beauty, cultural heritage and development vision.

The float "Colourful Pearl Bay – Symphony of the Ocean" showcased the province's bays, coral reefs and rich marine ecosystems, while "Silver Sea – Golden Harvest of Khánh Hòa Fisheries" highlighted its fishing industry, aquaculture and renowned lobster products.

Other floats, including "Treasures of the Agarwood and Bird's Nest Land" and "Heritage Imprints – The Vietnamese Spirit by the Blue Sea", celebrated agarwood, edible bird's nests, Cham and Raglai cultures, the traditional Whale Worship Festival and hò bá trạo, a traditional maritime folk performance. Traditional values came to life through colourful costumes, theatrical productions and vibrant street performances.

Other floats highlighted Khánh Hòa Province's ambitions in green tourism, digital transformation, high-end tourism, industry, renewable energy, marine urban development and logistics, underscoring the province's vision of becoming a new growth pole in Việt Nam's South Central Coast region.

Performer Nguyễn Như Hạnh, who joined the parade, said participants had spent days rehearsing to perfect every movement.

"Performing before so many residents and visitors is a great joy. We hope to showcase a youthful, open, culturally rich and welcoming Khánh Hòa. The enthusiastic support from spectators along the parade route gave us even more energy to deliver our best performance," she said.

Visitor Mai Thị Nguyệt from Hà Nội said she was impressed by both the scale of the event and the way the programme showcased the province's maritime heritage alongside Cham and Raglai cultures.

"The atmosphere is incredibly lively, yet the festival still retains Khánh Hòa Province's unique identity. I'll definitely spend more time visiting the province's attractions during the festival," she said.

The street carnival is one of the signature events of the Khánh Hòa Sea Festival 2026, enriching the province's night-time cultural and tourism offerings while promoting the image of the "Land of Agarwood and Bird's Nests" to domestic and international visitors.

Through music, dance and elaborate floats, the carnival celebrated Khánh Hòa Province's marine heritage while conveying messages of sustainable marine economic development, heritage conservation, environmental protection and international integration. It also presented the province as a modern, dynamic and welcoming destination entering a new phase of development.

The Khánh Hòa Sea Festival 2026 features more than 40 cultural, artistic, sporting, tourism and trade promotion events at venues across the province. Bringing together thousands of artists, artisans and performers from Việt Nam and abroad, the festival is expected to attract between 600,000 and 800,000 visitors. VNS

The festive atmosphere along Trần Phú Street draws large crowds of spectators.

The festive atmosphere along Trần Phú Street draws large crowds of spectators.

A street performance at the Khánh Hòa Sea Festival 2026.

Visitors capture memorable moments during the carnival parade in Nha Trang.

Residents and visitors line Trần Phú Street to enjoy the carnival parade.

Performers bring Khánh Hòa's maritime heritage to life during the street carnival.

Street performances add colour and energy to the Khánh Hòa Sea Festival 2026.

Performers in vibrant costumes entertain the crowds during the street carnival of the Khánh Hòa Sea Festival 2026.