The first River Culture Festival is about to take place in Can Tho city

The first Can Tho River Culture Festival in 2025 will take place from December 26 to January 1, 2026, at Ben Ninh Kieu Park (Ninh Kieu Ward), Song Hau Park (Cai Khe Ward) and neighboring areas.

The festival with the theme "Can Tho - Colors of Rivers" creates a cultural and tourist highlight, practically welcoming the new year 2026, contributing to creating a joyful and exciting atmosphere, improving the cultural and spiritual life of the people.

The festival is also an opportunity to introduce and promote the unique cultural features of the Mekong Delta in general and Can Tho city in particular to the people and tourists at home and abroad; at the same time, raise public awareness in protecting the environment, especially the river ecosystem, encourage sustainable tourism development; enhance the effective exploitation of resources and tourism products on the river; develop tours and inner-city tourism routes, connect river tourism in Ho Chi Minh City, Can Tho city with the Mekong Delta provinces; expand links to develop tours and river tourism routes connecting with countries along the Mekong River.

The opening night of “Colors of the River” is the highlight of the Festival. The opening program begins with the “Colors of the River” parade taking place at 6:00 p.m. on December 26, at the pedestrian bridge - Ben Ninh Kieu Park.

Two American tourists enjoy breakfast on a boat at Cai Rang floating market. (Photo: Thanh Liem/VNA)

The colorfully decorated boats line up one after another on the Hau River, blending with the sounds of traditional music echoing between the wharf and the boats, interspersed with street dances and vibrant lion-dragon dances on the central streets of the city, creating a bustling, joyful atmosphere imbued with the identity of the river delta region.

Following the parade, at 8:00 p.m., the opening art program with the theme "Colors of Rivers" will take place, bringing a semi-realistic stage space on the Hau River, vividly recreating the culture, life and cuisine of the people in the river region, while honoring the rustic beauty and affection of the people of the South.

Closing the opening night, at 9pm on December 26, the audience will enjoy a drone light show combined with artistic fireworks, blending sound, light and folk culture colors. The combination of modern technology and traditional symbols will create a sparkling picture of "Colors of Rivers" - where the culture of Hau River is depicted by contemporary art, sending a message about a dynamic, creative and unique Can Tho in the heart of the West.

Within the framework of the festival, there will also be a space to display and introduce products, typical cuisine, OCOP products, and promote local tourism products at Hau River Park (Cai Khe ward); a photo exhibition "Rhythm of life on the river - The West past and present" at Ben Ninh Kieu Park.

In particular, the acoustic street music performance took place in Rach Cai Khe area, Cai Khe ward.

In addition, there is a workshop to improve safety knowledge and skills on the river at Cai Khe Canal; experience water sports from Cai Khe Boat Dock to the Pedestrian Bridge; Composite boat racing and sailing and SUP boat racing in Can Tho City expansion in 2025; Yoga performance and floating flower lanterns.

The culinary promotion program taking place at Hau River Park is also one of the attractive activities, attracting tourists to the Can Tho River Culture Festival.

Prime location with many diverse activities on Ninh Kieu walking street. (Photo: Anh Tuyet/VNA)

Also to promote tourism and attract domestic and foreign tourists, on the evening of November 29, at Ninh Kieu wharf area, Can Tho city officially opened Ninh Kieu walking street, marking a turning point in the development of urban cultural and tourism space at night.

The event attracted a large number of local people and domestic and foreign tourists, creating a vibrant, youthful atmosphere rich in the identity of the Mekong Delta.

This is a unique cultural space, creating opportunities for the city to develop services, trade and tourism, especially in the context of the night-time economic trend becoming increasingly popular in major cities around the world.

Ninh Kieu walking street is an ideal destination, offering a harmonious combination of cultural and economic activities, continuing to affirm Can Tho as a civilized and modern city while still preserving national cultural identity.

The walking street is about 750m long, organized on Hai Ba Trung Street (from Ngo Gia Tu to Phan Chu Trinh) and neighboring routes, operating periodically on Saturday and Sunday evenings every week.

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