Launching the 11th Ho Chi Minh City Ao Dai Festival

On the evening of February 27th, the 11th Ho Chi Minh City Ao Dai Festival 2025, themed "Vietnamese Ao Dai - Reaching New Heights for Vietnam," organized by the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, chaired by the Department of Tourism and the Ho Chi Minh City Women's Union, in coordination with various departments, districts, and Thu Duc City, officially launched.

A fashion show featuring traditional Vietnamese dresses (áo dài) at the announcement ceremony of the 11th Ho Chi Minh City Ao Dai Festival.

This year's festival takes place over 8 days, from March 1st to 9th, with a series of 10 diverse activities at more than 20 locations: President Ho Chi Minh Monument Park and Nguyen Hue Street, Lam Son Park in front of the City Theater, export showrooms from 92 - 96 Nguyen Hue (District 1)... and at historical sites, cultural relics, tourist destinations, and landmarks of Ho Chi Minh City.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Anh Hoa, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism, said that the festival is also a meaningful event commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of Southern Vietnam and the reunification of the country (April 30, 1975 – April 30, 2025). “Hopefully, with the joint efforts of various organizations, designers, artists, local people, and tourists… we will create a vibrant and memorable festival season,” Ms. Nguyen Thi Anh Hoa said.

This year's Ho Chi Minh City Ao Dai Festival features over 30 celebrity ambassadors from various fields such as politics , economics, beauty pageants, singers, and actors, including: People's Artist Nguyen Thi Thanh Thuy - Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture and Sports; Ms. Trinh Thi Thanh - Standing Vice President of the Ho Chi Minh City Women's Union; Mr. Nguyen Van Canh - Member of the National Assembly's Committee on Culture and Society; People's Artist Bach Tuyet; People's Artist Kim Xuan; Meritorious Artist Phi Dieu; Tang Phuc; Miss Ha Kieu Anh; Miss Nguyen Thuc Thuy Tien; Miss Le Nguyen Bao Ngoc; Miss Huynh Thi Thanh Thuy; Mr. Pham Tuan Ngoc; Miss Tran Tieu Vy; Miss Doan Thien An; Miss Nguyen Thi Ngoc Chau…

It is expected that 50,000 people will participate in the ao dai parade; more than 550 ao dai designs will be showcased at the festival; and 600 actors, models, and artists will participate in the performances…

Notably, 53 ao dai designers will be participating in the festival, including: Do Trinh Hoai Nam, Vo Viet Chung, Viet Hung, Ao Dai Nam Tuyen, Ngo Nhat Huy, Trung Dinh, Vu Thao Giang, Le Long Dung, Ivan Tran, Dang Trong Minh Chau, Dinh Van Tho, Duc Vinicie, Ta Linh Nhan, Song Toan, Vu Lan Anh, Vu Viet Ha…

The organizing committee provides information about the festival.

lehoi ao dai 2025.jpg — Brand ambassadors accompany the festival.

The opening ceremony of the Ho Chi Minh City Ao Dai Festival 2025 will take place on the evening of March 7th, at the President Ho Chi Minh Monument Park and Nguyen Hue pedestrian street.

The mass performance of traditional Vietnamese ao dai dances took place on the morning of March 8th in the Nguyen Hue pedestrian street area, with 3,000 performers and over 50,000 people at various locations in 21 districts and Thu Duc City. That evening, the VBFF ao dai fashion show was held at the President Ho Chi Minh Monument Park and Nguyen Hue pedestrian street. Director Hoang Nhat Nam stated that the collections were arranged into a narrative consisting of three chapters, one of which, titled "Ao Dai and the Paths of Fire and Flowers," evokes the heroic memories of the nation during the war.

This year's Ho Chi Minh City Ao Dai Beauty Contest is open only to groups. The semi-finals will take place on March 2nd and 3rd. The finals are scheduled for the evening of March 9th at the President Ho Chi Minh Monument Park and Nguyen Hue pedestrian street. The Ao Dai Painting Contest, open to students, will run from March 1st to 9th.

In addition, there are other programs such as: the 2025 Online Ao Dai Photo Contest with the theme "Ao Dai with the historical relics of April 30th"; a program to donate Ao Dai to female members and female workers; activities such as "Accompanying Vietnamese Ao Dai," promoting the culture of wearing Ao Dai, and discount programs on Ao Dai tailoring, fabric, and accessories…

In addition, an exhibition and interactive space featuring the Ao Dai (Vietnamese traditional dress) will be held for eight days along Nguyen Hue pedestrian street, Lam Son Park, and the City Theatre metro station. The exhibition space will be divided into several areas with diverse themes and activities. Notably, the new tourist route "Colors of the Ao Dai Festival on the Metro Journey" is a new travel experience connecting Metro Line 1 with the cultural and artistic space of the Ho Chi Minh City Ao Dai Festival.

Ambassador of Ao Dai - People's Artist Bach Tuyet: “Throughout my career, I have owned about 1,000 Ao Dai dresses. I am proud to continue promoting the cultural values of our nation through this year's Ho Chi Minh City Ao Dai Festival. I am very happy that whenever I wear an Ao Dai out on the street, many people ask to take pictures with me and clearly call out 'Vietnam'."

Ambassador of Ao Dai - Miss Nguyen Thuc Thuy Tien: “I am very honored and proud to become the ambassador of the Ho Chi Minh City Ao Dai Festival 2025. The Ao Dai has been with me from my school days until I participated in international beauty pageants. Even now, I am still impressed by the national costume "Angel in Blue" that I wore during the National Costume competition at Miss Grand International 2021. The Ao Dai was designed by Tin Thai, inspired by the frontline forces fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. Through this Ao Dai outfit, we express our deep gratitude to the doctors and medical staff in Vietnam and around the world in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.”