Ho Chi Minh City intends to showcase low-level fireworks at three different locations during the opening night of the second River Festival on May 31st.
“The addition of the opening night fireworks display is a fresh highlight for this year’s river festival,” revealed Ms. Nguyen Thi Anh Hoa, Director of Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism, during discussions at the April economic and social meeting held on May 3. Themed “Legendary Train,” the festival promises a 10-day spectacular, running from May 31 to June 9, showcasing the city’s and Southern region’s finest tourism offerings.
According to plans by the Ho Chi Minh City Command, the fireworks will illuminate the night sky from three strategic locations: the Saigon River bank area in Thu Thiem ward, Ba Son wharf area in Ben Nghe ward, and the Landmark 81 riverbank park area in Binh Thanh district.
The fireworks display will begin at 9:30 p.m. on May 31, coinciding with the festival’s grand opening and following the conclusion of the evening’s entertainment program. At each designated location, spectators can expect a dazzling showcase of 90 low-level explosive fireworks paired with non-exploding pyrotechnic flares.
“The fireworks at each location will be set off sequentially, one after the other, with an estimated firing time of 15 minutes per spot. The funding for this spectacle comes from social sources.
The highlight of the second River Festival is an open-air grand musical drama titled ‘Legendary Train,’ featuring the participation of 1,000 performers. The festival’s opening ceremony will take place at 8:00 p.m. on May 31 at Nhà Rồng port.”
During 10 days, the festival transforms various waterfront areas into vibrant scenes reminiscent of the famous ‘floating markets’ of the Mekong Delta along the Nhiêu Lộc – Thị Nghè canal. At Bình Đông wharf (District 8), visitors can experience a recreation of Fruit Week, complete with Mekong Delta-inspired decorations and activities, showcasing fruit stalls from different provinces and cities, along with captivating folk art performances.
Moreover, the festival offers various exciting water sports activities, including competitions such as the river-crossing swimming championship, stand-up paddle boarding championship, and sailing boats, jet skiing, sailing, and paragliding.
This year’s second Ho Chi Minh City River Festival is promised to be a standout event for tourism. The first festival in 2023 attracted a significant crowd, with over 210,000 visitors from both domestic and international locales, demonstrating its growing popularity.
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