As the Year of the Horse 2026 approaches, a series of cultural and social welfare activities in many wards and communes across Ho Chi Minh City were held yesterday. Communities across Ho Chi Minh City were celebrating with vibrant Tet festivals that blend traditional customs with acts of generosity, bringing warmth and joy to thousands of residents.
In neighborhood No. 19 of Tan Son Hoa Ward, residents gathered for the Xuan doan ket- Tet nghia tinh ( Spring of Solidarity – Tet of Compassion) festival, where food stalls, folk games, and rice cake-making such as chung and tet cakes (traditional Vietnamese sticky rice cakes) stood alongside free eye examinations. Hiep Binh Ward transformed its streets into a new year’s corner where lion dances, cultural shows were performed and a free spring market was held. Moreover, the ward authority also provided free breakfast to residents.
In Gia Dinh Ward, the Xuan doan ket - Tet nghia tinh (Spring of Solidarity - Tet of Compassion) festival featured many activities, such as a competition for decorating Vietnamese Tet spaces, a solidarity meal, a Vietnamese goods market for the Year of the Horse, and free health check-ups and consultations for elderly people living alone and disadvantaged households. Over 1,000 Tet gifts were distributed to near-poor households, orphans affected by Covid-19 pandemic, and struggling workers.
The "Spring of Solidarity - Tet of Compassion" festival at Ban Co Secondary School also attracted a large number of people and overseas Vietnamese with activities such as making chung cake, decorating apricot blossom branches, folk games, food stalls, and a "Tet Feast" competition. The special program, along with other Tet care activities, supported many poor and near-poor households, policy beneficiary families, elderly people living alone, and disadvantaged children.
The atmosphere of welcoming the Lunar New Year was also vibrant in Tan Hung Ward with the Mung xuan Binh Ngo - Mung Dang quang vinh (Celebrating the Year of the Horse - Celebrating the Glorious Party) festival. The festival took place over two days, February 7 and 8, at Tan Hung Park with many activities related to traditional Tet customs, such as a competition for decorating spring corners, decorating streets and alleys to be green, clean, and beautiful; a competition for wrapping traditional Vietnamese sticky rice chung and tet cakes, decorating apricot and peach blossoms, and five-fruit trays; a vegetarian buffet food festival and zero-cost stalls serving the people. The ward also distributed 317 gift packages to disadvantaged households and gifts to 45 orphaned students in the area.
Meanwhile, workers also benefited from the season’s generosity. More than 2,000 workers received free vehicle inspections and oil changes at the Tet doan vien - 2,000 chuyen đi an toan (Tet Reunion - 2,000 Safe Journeys) festival organized by the Ho Chi Minh City Youth Workers Support Center. The program also distributed 400 Tet gift packages, each worth VND500,000 (US$19.52). Simultaneously, free eye examinations and physical check-ups were organized for participants, with a total support budget of over VND560 million. Similarly, at the Ho Chi Minh City Student Cultural Center, the Chuyen xe mua xuan - Tet sum vay 2026 (Spring Journey - Tet Reunion 2026) program transported 2,000 students and workers in difficult circumstances back to their hometowns to celebrate Tet with free buses to the central provinces.
The Ho Chi Minh City Student Cultural Center, in coordination with other units, organized the Xuan tu trieu tam long vang (Spring from a Million Golden Hearts) program - Spring of the Year of the Horse 2026. During the program, the organizers distributed 700 Tet gift packages, each worth VND1.3 million including gifts worth VND800,000 and VND500,000 in cash, to needy students in Ho Chi Minh City who were unable to return home to celebrate Tet with their families. “Spring from Millions of Golden Hearts” is an activity initiated by the Ho Chi Minh City Student Support Center (now the Ho Chi Minh City Student Cultural Center) since 1999. To date, it has supported 33,000 students.
The 13th Xuan yeu thuong (Spring of Love) festival, organized by the Ho Chi Minh City Youth Union, also featured various cultural spaces, such as calligraphy, decorating spring corners, a competition for delicious Tet dishes. The organizing committee distributed over 250 Tet gifts to association officials, members, disadvantaged youth, and disabled youth. Under the theme "Spring of Love", the Party Committee, the People's Council, the People's Committee and the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Binh Phu Ward organized a children's playground, buffet party, and New Year's gifts for over 50 disadvantaged children in the area (worth VND2 million per gift).
Community-oriented activities for the 2026 Lunar New Year were also extended beyond the city center. The Women's Union of Lai Thieu, Thuan An, An Phu, Thuan Giao, and Binh Hoa wards coordinated the program Xuan bien cuong, am tinh dan quan (Spring on the border, the warm bond between the army and the people) in Tan Tien Commune of Dong Nai Province; distributing 100 gifts to disadvantaged families and 10 scholarships to diligent students. The Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Vung Tau Ward organized a Phien cho yeu thuong (Market of Love) with 22 stalls offering free goods distributing 1,000 gifts to elderly people living alone, families in difficult circumstances, and people with disabilities.
These celebrations reflected not only the joy of Tet but also the city’s commitment to solidarity, compassion, and community care.
