HCMC – The 2nd HCMC River Festival officially kicked off at Nha Rong Wharf on the evening of May 31, starting a series of tourism, cultural, entertainment, sports, culinary, and shopping activities over the next 10 days.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Phan Van Mai, chairman of the HCMC People’s Committee, said that the festival aims to honor the beauty and value of rivers, spreading pride and love for the city through a variety of distinctive activities that blend tradition and modernity. The goal is to make the festival an annual event of HCMC.
The highlight of the opening ceremony was the special outdoor art performance themed “The Story of a River Season 2 – The Legendary Voyage.” With the participation of nearly 1,000 performers, the show recreated historical stories through a completely new artistic language with many surprising elements.
The performance also incorporated cinematic effects into stage production using modern technologies such as 3D mapping, a moving stage on water, drone displays, and sound and visual effects.
This year’s program includes an artistic fireworks display, a reenactment of the Mekong Delta floating market, a river-crossing swimming competition, a stand-up paddleboarding championship, jet ski performances, and various water tourism products.
The 2024 HCMC River Festival takes place from May 31 to June 9. Activities will take place at various locations, including Nha Rong – Khanh Hoi Wharf – Saigon Port, Bach Dang Wharf Park, Saigon River Park, the Nhieu Loc – Thi Nghe Canal, Ngoi Sao Viet Pier in District 7, Binh Dong Wharf in District 8, Suoi Tien Theme Park, and other tourist attractions in Thu Duc City and across HCMC’s districts.
