People from Ho Chi Minh City flocked to the Ca Mau Crab Festival, but all the crabs were sold out.

Immediately after the opening ceremony on the evening of November 18th, with a variety of delicious dishes and specialties such as crab, dried shrimp, and various types of dried fish, a large number of people and tourists in Ho Chi Minh City flocked to experience and shop at the Ca Mau Crab Food Festival.

On the evening of November 18th, leaders and delegates cut the ribbon to inaugurate the Ca Mau Crab Food Festival - Photo: HT

On the evening of November 18th, the Ca Mau Crab Food Festival in Ho Chi Minh City officially opened at the Youth Cultural Center, 4 Pham Ngoc Thach Street (Saigon Ward). The event is one of the activities of the "Hello Ca Mau" festival, jointly organized by the People's Committee of Ca Mau Province and the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City. The festival takes place over four days, from 9 am to 10 pm, from November 18th to 22nd, featuring over 100 stalls.

Introducing the flavors, culture, and spirit of the people of Ca Mau.

The event was attended by many leaders such as the Deputy Secretary of the Ca Mau Provincial Party Committee, Ho Thanh Thuy; the Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, Nguyen Manh Cuong; the Vice Chairman of the Ca Mau Provincial People's Committee, Huynh Chi Nguyen, along with representatives from departments, agencies, and units of both localities. Notably, the festival attracted a large number of locals and tourists who came to visit and experience the local cuisine from early on.

Speaking at the event, Mr. Huynh Chi Nguyen said that the Ca Mau Crab Food Festival held in Ho Chi Minh City not only aims to promote unique products such as Ca Mau shrimp and crab, specialty products, OCOP products, etc., but also to introduce to friends and tourists from near and far the flavors, culture, and innovative spirit of Ca Mau province.

Leaders of the Ca Mau Provincial People's Committee and the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee visit the booths - Photo: HT

"We hope that through product displays, culinary demonstrations, art exchanges, and business networking, you will fully appreciate the sophistication, creativity, sincerity, and hospitality of the people of Ca Mau," Mr. Nguyen expressed his hope.

According to the organizers, the Ca Mau Crab Food Festival has four main areas: an exhibition area showcasing models, images, and unique symbols of Ca Mau; an area displaying and introducing regional specialty products, connecting trade with processed products made from crab, dried shrimp, whiteleg shrimp, dried fish, bird's nest, shrimp crackers, pork sausage, etc.

Customers flocked in, and many vendors ran out of crab, dried shrimp, dried fish, etc.

On the evening of November 18th, the festival space became crowded as thousands of people flocked to visit, experience, sample, and purchase specialties from Ca Mau province such as crab, dried shrimp, and various types of dried fish.

While choosing dried shrimp at 750,000 VND/kg and dried snakehead fish at over 300,000 VND/500g pack, Ms. Ho Thi Nguyet (Saigon Ward) said that her family enjoys dried seafood, shrimp, and crab, so they came to the festival early to experience and eat them. According to Ms. Nguyet, instead of buying them to take home, her family chose to eat Ca Mau crab prepared on the spot at 800,000 VND/kg.

"These are large crabs with lots of roe, so they taste delicious. But now most stalls have sold out, so you can't find any to eat anymore."

On the evening of November 18th, a large number of locals and tourists flocked to the festival to experience and shop - Photo: N.TRÍ

Like Ms. Nguyet, many locals said they had been at the festival since morning and afternoon, so they had the opportunity to try and buy quite a few Ca Mau specialties, especially dried shrimp priced at 500,000-800,000 VND/kg, and dried fish priced from 160,000-250,000 VND/500g, making them easy to purchase.

Many participating businesses and organizations expressed surprise at the large number of customers on the first day, both in the morning and afternoon, leading to almost a complete sell-out by evening. Therefore, they plan to significantly increase their stock to serve locals and tourists in the following days.

In addition, the festival also features many Cai Luong and Don Ca Tai Tu performances with a distinct Southwestern Vietnamese flavor; stalls offering a variety of ready-made food also attract the attention and experiences of people in Ho Chi Minh City.

According to the organizers, in addition to the four main areas dedicated to Ca Mau crab cuisine, the festival also features a highlight area showcasing and introducing the unique culinary delights of Ca Mau. Here, the organizers invite renowned artisans and chefs from Ca Mau and Ho Chi Minh City to demonstrate and introduce distinctive dishes made from crab and seafood from the river region. Visitors can also sample and learn how to prepare Ca Mau specialties.

Besides crab, other prominent products of Ca Mau such as dried shrimp, various types of dried fish... are also quite popular with customers - Photo: N.TRÍ

A representative from one of the stalls excitedly said that many products had sold out by late afternoon - Photo: N.TRÍ

A representative from a production facility introduces fish sauce to visitors at the festival - Photo: N.TRÍ

Salted shrimp and dried fish products are attracting customers - Photo: N.TRÍ

Because her stall sold out early, Ms. Pham Thi Dung (far right), representative of Minh Duy Bon Bon Cooperative in Ca Mau, went to help sell at the neighboring stall - Photo: N.TRÍ

Because the crabs ran out early, on the evening of November 18th, a unit urgently sent more crabs from Ca Mau to the festival. The selling price of crabs here was 500,000 VND/kg - Photo: N.TRÍ

The culinary space, combined with the music stage, provides visitors with many more experiences at the festival - Photo: N.TRÍ

NGUYEN TRI

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/nguoi-dan-tp-hcm-un-un-den-le-hoi-cua-ca-mau-het-sach-cua-20251118211409861.htm