HCM CITY — The annual spring flower street in the Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta city of Cần Thơ has opened to visitors until January 29 to celebrate Tết (Lunar New Year).

The 315-metre-long street is decorated with 80,000 baskets of flowers grown from famous flower-growing regions such as Sa Đéc flower village in Đồng Tháp Province, Phó Thọ - Bà Bộ flower village in Cần Thơ City, and Đà Lạt City.

Nguyễn Khánh Tùng, director of the city’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said the city organised the spring flower street at a cost of VNĐ 6 billion (US$259,400) from private funds.

With the theme of “The Spring of Hope,” the flower art installations will be divided into three sections with 25 mini-scenes featuring popular destinations in Việt Nam, the Tết festival in southern region, đờn ca tài tử (fork music), and cute rats, the mascots for this year's flower street in the Year of the Rat.

The Phú Cường flower street in Rạch Giá Town in Kiên Giang Province, which opened on January 14, features colourful floral decorations and 2-metre high rat statues. 

It includes a spring flower market with more than 300 flower traders from the southern region. The flower street is open until February 2.  

The annual HCM City Spring Flower Festival opened on Sunday (January 19) at Tao Đàn Park in HCM City’s District 1. The event displays more than 4,000 flowers, bonsai plants and trees, ornamental fish and birds.

It also features dragon dances, đờn ca tài tử (fork music), fork games, circus performances, calligraphy and painting displays.

Tickets are VNĐ30,000 ($1.3). The festival ends on January 30. — VNS