On November 11, Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Nguyen Manh Cuong chaired a meeting to review preparations for Vietnam Culture Day (November 24) and the Great National Unity Festival and proposed venues for the 2027 Lunar New Year Book Street Festival.
At the meeting, Vo Trong Nam, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture and Sports, reported on preparations for a series of activities marking Vietnam Culture Day and the Great National Unity Festival. Under the plan, the activities will take place from November 22 to 24, with the main events centered around Nguyen Hue pedestrian street and activities extended to localities and cultural institutions across the city.
A highlight of the opening ceremony on the evening of November 22 will be a 3D mapping projection on the facade of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee headquarters, under the theme “Great National Unity Festival – The Cultural Identity of Vietnam.”
Nguyen Hue pedestrian street will also be transformed into several themed zones showcasing the cultural identities of Vietnam's 54 ethnic groups, activities celebrating the great national unity bloc, traditional art forms, and various cultural industries.
The cultural industry zones will feature cinema, performing arts, advertising, cultural tourism, traditional craft villages, publishing, printing and distribution, and digital media. These sectors will be presented through interactive spaces showcasing products and technological applications.
An open-air community stage, designed to allow audiences to watch performances from four sides, is expected to host community dances, gong performances, Nha Nhac (Vietnamese royal court music), and Dan Tinh instrument performances accompanied by Then singing, as well as international cultural exchange programs.
The closing ceremony on November 24 is scheduled from 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., featuring a live television broadcast connecting central Ho Chi Minh City with Binh Duong and Vung Tau wards. Low-altitude fireworks displays are also planned in central Ho Chi Minh City and Binh Duong Ward.
Beyond activities in central areas, the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee leaders have called for coordinated implementation across all wards, communes, special zone and residential neighborhoods, in conjunction with the Great National Unity Festival.
Historical sites, museums, communal houses and pagodas are expected to open their doors to the public and host incense-offering ceremonies and traditional art performances, helping create a festive atmosphere throughout the city.
Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Nguyen Manh Cuong stressed the need to ensure public security and order, as well as traffic safety around Nguyen Hue pedestrian street, Ton Duc Thang Street, Le Loi Street and the riverside park.
The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture and Sports will coordinate with relevant departments, agencies and units to develop traffic diversion plans for areas surrounding the event venues, identify potential congestion hotspots and provide timely information to residents. All stage structures and audience stands must undergo safety inspections before being put into use.
Regarding activities showcasing the cultures of Vietnam's ethnic groups, Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Nguyen Manh Cuong called for authenticity and respect for each group's distinctive cultural identity. He also stressed the need to provide representatives of all 54 ethnic groups with traditional costumes, travel funding and adequate conditions to participate.
He further called for stronger mobilization of cultural, arts and tourism organizations to join the program, alongside preferential policies, including discounted or free admission for students and residents.
Regarding plans for the 2027 Lunar New Year Book Street Festival, surveys found that previously proposed venues, including September 23 Park and Le Loi Street, faced challenges related to construction space, traffic management and connectivity with other Lunar New Year celebrations.
Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture and Sports, Nguyen Ngoc Hoi, proposed using the Bach Dang Wharf Park area as the venue. Its spacious riverside setting and attractive urban landscape, together with its direct connection to Nguyen Hue Flower Street, would allow the two events to form an integrated space for Lunar New Year festivities.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Finance has issued Circular No. 167/2026/TT-BTC, dated November 10, 2026, providing for free admission on Vietnam Culture Day (November 24) each year at numerous museums, historical sites and tourist attractions nationwide.
