Opening of the first Ho Chi Minh City River Festival

Racing boat teams perform at the opening ceremony of the first Ho Chi Minh City River Festival.

According to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism, the festival takes place from August 4 to 6, with a series of unique cultural, entertainment, artistic and sports activities taking place along the river, combined with experiential activities, rich and attractive tourism, aviation and trade stimulus programs.

Coming to the festival, people and tourists can experience waterway tourism programs; "On the wharf, under the boat" space at Nhieu Loc canal (District 1), Binh Dong wharf (District 8), activities recreating the lifestyle of the Saigon - Cho Lon - Gia Dinh - Ho Chi Minh City community through the ages and shopping for agricultural products and specialties of the localities.

Residents and visitors can also immerse themselves in the exciting atmosphere of water sports activities with the Ho Chi Minh City traditional boat racing championship; parade activities on the Saigon River and cultural, artistic and folk game spaces at Bach Dang wharf, Lam Son park...

Director of Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism Nguyen Thi Anh Hoa emphasized that the River Festival is organized to provide images of the city's culture and tourism in a unique, novel and modern way, along with selected artistic activities imbued with the cultural identity of the nation, locality, region, etc., contributing to stimulating tourism, supporting businesses and promoting tourism and trade promotion programs in Ho Chi Minh City.

“Through this event, we hope to develop the festival into an annual program, creating a ripple effect to the community, attracting domestic and foreign tourists to Ho Chi Minh City,” said Ms. Nguyen Thi Anh Hoa.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Phan Van Mai emphasized that, along with the development of Saigon - Cho Lon - Gia Dinh - Ho Chi Minh City, over 300 years, along the rivers and canals, ports - wharves, market streets, craft villages, and boat-based services have been formed and developed bustlingly, creating the unique characteristics of a riverside city, a place that is not only associated with alluvium but also harmonizes culture and economy, tradition and modernity, identity and integration. "On the wharf, under the boat" is not only an activity that needs to continue to be promoted to develop the city's economy, but also a way of life, a culture, a precious heritage that needs to be preserved and promoted.

“In order to preserve and promote cultural and historical values, build typical products and events; promote the exploitation of economic and tourism values from the river and sea resource system in the city; aim to position the brand of a river city rich in cultural identity, the City People's Committee organizes the first City River Festival in 2023”, said comrade Phan Van Mai.

The highlight of the event is the art program with the theme "The River Tells Stories" on the evening of August 6 at Saigon Port - Passenger Port. The program will recreate the formation of nature and people through the periods of Saigon - Gia Dinh - Cho Lon - Ho Chi Minh City in 5 chapters "Reclamation - Building the citadel - On the wharf, under the boat - Prosperous commercial port - Brilliant city by the river", with the participation of nearly 700 actors and folk artists along with a team of leading directors, experts, consultants and artists.

Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Phan Van Mai emphasized that the program contributes to creating momentum and motivation for the city's economic, cultural and social development in the new period - the period of implementing the National Assembly's Resolution on piloting a number of preliminary processes and specific policies for the development of Ho Chi Minh City and the Government's Resolution on key tasks and solutions to accelerate recovery and accelerate effective and sustainable tourism development.

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