HCM CITY – Nguyễn Huệ Flower Street, a popular attraction during Tết (Lunar New Year), opened last night (Jan 25) in HCM City, two days before the festival.

The opening ceremony was attended by National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyễn Thị Kim Ngân, Deputy Prime Minister Trương Hòa Bình, Vice President Đặng Thị Ngọc Thịnh, HCM City Party Secretary Đinh La Thăng, Chairman of the city’s People’s Committee Nguyễn Thành Phong, and Chairwoman of the city’s People’s Council Nguyễn Thị Quyết Tâm, and other leaders.

Speaking at the ceremony, Nguyễn Thị Thu, vice chairwoman of HCM City’s People’s Committee and head of Steering Committee for Nguyễn Huệ Flower Street, said that the flower street represents the beauty of the city and its people, as well as its aspiration for the city with civilisation, modernisation, love and high standard of living.

With the theme Thành phố mang tên Bác – Khát vọng ngời sáng (The City Named after President Hồ Chí Minh – Aspiration for A Bright Future), the 720-metre flower street runs from the statue of President Hồ Chí Minh in front of the People’s Committee building to Tôn Đức Thắng Street.

The street has three sections: Mùa Xuân Trên Thành Phố Mang Tên Bác (Spring in the City Named after President Hồ Chí Minh), Thành Phố Văn Minh – Hiện Đại – Nghĩa Tình (The City of Civilisation, Modernization and Love), and Khát Vọng Ngời Sáng (Aspiration for A Bright Future).

More than 100 kinds of flowers are used in the flower arrangements. As usual, the mascot of the New Year, a pair of chickens and their 15 chicks, are displayed at the entrance to the street.

There are miniature flowers and bonsai trees representing city landmarks like Nhà Rồng Wharf, People’s Committee building, Bến Thành Market and Phú Mỹ Bridge, as well as the city’s metro system.

The Flower Street has been organised annually since 2004. This year, the street will close at 10pm on January 31, the fourth day of Lunar New Year.

The city has also opened an open-air Tết book fair on three streets downtown: Mạc Thị Bưởi, Nguyễn Huệ and Ngô Đức Kế.

The book fair features publications by the late President Hồ Chí Minh, as well as works on “studying and following President Hồ Chí Minh’s morals.”

Thousands of book titles on history, culture, costumes and landscapes of HCM City and Việt Nam are on display and for sale. Book titles and documents on seas and islands are also featured.

Visitors are encouraged to donate books to people who live in remote and storm- and flood-affected areas.

The fair will close on the same day of the flower street.

On Lunar New Year’s Eve (January 27), the city will stage seven firework displays to welcome the Year of the Rooster.

The 15-minute firework displays will be set off at the Thủ Thiêm Tunnel in District 2; District 9’s culture and history park; Đầm Sen Park in District 11; Củ Chi Tunnel in Củ Chi District; the Láng Le – Bàu Cỏ Historical Relic Site in Bình Chánh District; Rừng Sác Square in Cần Giờ District; and the Ngã Ba Giồng Martyrs Monument in Hóc Môn District. — VNS