New show on Saigon promenade to debut this weekend

Visitors to Nguyen Hue Pedestrian Street in downtown Ho Chi Minh City will be treated to various forms of street and traditional Vietnamese art every weekend, starting from this Saturday.

The new program, called “Ho Chi Minh City Street Show,” will debut on May 13 before taking place from 8:00 pm to 9:00 pm every Saturday and Sunday night along the promenade, the municipal tourism department announced on Monday.

“The weekend shows will not only feature common street arts like magic and singing, but also traditional arts including folk songs and gong dancing,” Bui Ta Hoang Vu, director of the tourism department, said at the program’s launch ceremony.

Six different stages will be erected along the pedestrian street, which connects the city’s edifice with the Bach Dang wharf.

The highlight of the weekend’s program will be a number of ‘fusion’ performances, combining modern street arts with traditional Vietnamese folk culture, according to the tourism department.

“We expect this program to become something that holds both cultural and entertainment value, helping to increase the appeal of Ho Chi Minh City as a tourism destination,” Vu said.

“The program will also give local residents a new venue to relax over the weekends.”

Besides regular performances, the “Ho Chi Minh City Street Show” is also expected to hold street art competitions in preparation for the larger ambition of organizing an international street art festival.

All activities of the program are funded privately, according to the tourism department.

TUOI TRE NEWS