HCM CITY— A series of cultural activities will be organised across HCM City to entertain residents and visitors during the National Day holiday on September 1-3.

The city authorities will host a music and dance performance on Nguyễn Huệ Pedestrian Street in celebration of the 73rd anniversary of National Day on September 2.

The show will feature songs in praise of President Hồ Chí Minh, and the beauty of HCM City and the country.

Singers and dancers from the city’s art troupes will join the performance, opening at 7:30 pm on September 2.

Following the concert will be firework performances, which will be set off from 9pm to 9:15pm from the roof of Thủ Thiêm Tunnel crossing the Sài Gòn River in District 2, and Đầm Sen Theme Park in District 11.

The city will also launch a photo exhibition along Nguyễn Huệ Pedestrian Street and Đồng Khởi Street on August 31 to introduce works about President Hồ Chí Minh, and achievements of HCM City and the country in the cause of nation-building and development.

A group wedding of 100 couples who work at the city’s numerous factories will be held on September 2.

The couples will visit the statue of President Hồ Chí Minh in front of the headquarters of the People’s Committee, before moving around downtown by cyclos.

Cultural parks and arts troupes will offer numerous festivities and music and song programmes this weekend.

Đầm Sen Park will organise a festival themed “Dấu Ấn Việt Nam” (Mark of Việt Nam) with several art performances to entertain visitors during the holiday.

The park will display an 8-m high model of a Việt Nam map made from 500 nón lá (conical hats).

Artisans from kite clubs in the city and neighbouring provinces will introduce kite performances on September 1 and 2.

They will also present two huge kites made from 73 Việt Nam flags to mark 73rd anniversary of National Day.

The Bông Sen Theatre of Singing and Dance, Trần Hữu Trang Cải Lương (reformed opera) Theatre, and the Phương Nam Art Theatre, will offer free music and theatre performance for people in outlying districts of Bình Chánh, Củ Chi and Cần Giờ during the holiday.

Cinemas and leading drama troupes are now preparing for their business season which is expected to attract thousands of people from southern provinces.

IDECAF Drama Theatre will stage a musical Tiên Nga (Fairy Tale), a production based on the 19th century Vietnamese epic poem Lục Vân Tiên by poet Nguyễn Đình Chiểu, at Bến Thành Theatre in District 1, on September 1 and 2.

Hoàng Thái Thanh Drama Theatre in District 10 will introduce a play Vườn Nho Đắng (Bitter Vineyard) on love and crime in a family that has traditionally planted grapes.

The Vietnamese romantic comedy musical Mùa Viết Tình Ca (Season of Love Songs) will be in cinemas on August 31.

Directed by young filmmaker Lý Minh Thắng, the film features a young songwriter and singer and his friends, who face challenges as they pursue their dreams.

The 90-minute film stars pop star Issac, and young actors Phan Ngân, Puka and Suni Hạ Linh.— VNS