More than 2,000 women in áo bà ba (traditional dress of southern women) will perform at the Bến Tre Coconut festival 2019 in the Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta province of Bến Tre, launched by the province’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism on November 16. — Photo courtesy of the organiser

HCM CITY — More than 2,000 female artists and women in áo bà ba (traditional dress of southern women) will parade on the streets of Bến Tre City as part of the  Bến Tre Coconut Festival 2019 opening on November 16. 

Singers and dancers will perform in praise of the country and women during the event called Day of Áo Bà Ba on the opening day at An Hội Park in Bến Tre.  

“We hope to make the festival one of the province’s famous tourist products and introduce our eco-tourism potential and economic prospects as well as our historical and cultural sites,” Nguyễn Văn Đức, deputy chairman of  Bến Tre Province’s People’s Committee, said. “We also want to encourage southern women to wear áo bà ba every day.”

According to Đức, the festival was first organised in 2009 and has become a well-known tourism event in the region.

This year, the fifth event’s theme is Cây Dừa Bến Tre Trên Đường Hội Nhập Và Phát Triển Bền Vững (Bến Tre on the Way to Integration and Sustainable Development) to honour and promote tourism and traditional cultural values.

It will feature exhibitions and trade fairs on coconut products and local brand names of agricultural products in Bến Tre.

The beauty and grace of áo bà ba, which has become the symbol of southern women, are featured.

The five-day event will include a pageant named Người Đẹp Xứ Dừa (Beauty of Bến Tre) with young women aged 18 to 26 who live and study in Bến Tre. 

The contest’s jury includes Miss Earth 2018 Nguyễn Phương Khánh, People’s Artist and theatre actress Lan Hương.

The festival will also feature cultural and music programmes expected to attract several hundred cultural researchers, artists and performers.   

A series of forums and seminars on the culture and lifestyle of Bến Tre will also be held.  

Organised by the province’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Bến Tre Coconut Festival 2019 is expected to attract more than 20,000 visitors. — VNS