Rosy in red: The fair, which runs until March 13, displays áo dài clothes and products, tailor services, accessories and calligraphy on palm-leaf conical hats. — Photo nld.com.vn

HCM CITY(VNS) – The third HCM City Áo Dài Festival kicked off yesterday at the city’s Youth Cultural House, featuring a parade of 1,000 young people in áo dài, exhibitions and a fair about the traditional long dress worn by Vietnamese women.

Nguyễn Thị Thu, deputy chairwoman of the city, said in the opening ceremony: “I believe that it will be a unique festival contributing to preserve, develop, and promote Vietnamese culture to international friends.”

Festival visitors will be able to feel the city’s young, dynamic atmosphere and see how it is integrating into the international community while still retaining specific traits of the Vietnamese culture, Thu said.

The opening ceremony saw several colourful performances of more than 1,000 young people in áo dài.

The fair, which runs until Sunday, offers visitors with áo dài clothes and products, tailor services, accessories, and calligraphy on palm-leaf conical hats.

During the month-long festival themed "HCM City – The City of Áo Dài", various activities are set to take place, including a parade involving students cycling to cultural and historical monuments around the city on Sunday, exhibitions about áo dài’s history at museums, talk shows and many contests.

The city’s women are encouraged to wear áo dài in their daily life from March 1-31. -- VNS