For many years now, the exploitation and development of natural resources and cultural resources to become unique tourism products, as a form of promotion and attracting tourists, has been applied by many countries in the world with great success.
In order to promote the inherent potential and maximize the economic, cultural and tourism value of the Saigon River - the river associated with the history of the city's formation and development. From August 4 to 6, 2023, for the first time, Ho Chi Minh City will organize the program "Ho Chi Minh City River Festival 2023 - 1st" with a regional scale and class with many unique and special activities.
The grand spectacle "Saigon - The River Tells Stories" in the first River Festival held in Ho Chi Minh City is expected to create a unique and unprecedented tourism product.
The 1st Ho Chi Minh City River Festival 2023 is a series of unique cultural - entertainment - artistic activities taking place along the river, combined with experiential activities, shopping promotions and other stimulus programs in the city. In particular, the highlight of the Festival is the Live Art Program taking place at 8:00 p.m. on August 6, 2023 with the theme: "Saigon - the river tells stories"
“Saigon – the storytelling river” is a massive live performance with more than 600 actors, taking place for the first time on the Saigon River - a nostalgic river, associated with the history of formation and development of Gia Dinh - Saigon - Ho Chi Minh City, associated with the image of the largest international trading port in Vietnam. This is also a vivid symbol of the history of land reclamation and expansion of the Vietnamese people.
The program is expected to include 5 chapters with the following names: Reclamation, Opening the Realm, On the Wharf, Under the Boat, The Pearl of the Far East, Brilliant City by the River… Through each chapter, the history of formation and development of Saigon will gradually appear clearly like vivid, delicate and unique cinematic footage.
With elaborate investment and the participation of a team of leading directors, experts, consultants, and artists in the art industry today such as: General Director Le Hai Yen, Technical Consultant - Lighting Director Pham Hoang Nam, Chief Choreographer: Meritorious Artist Thanh Hang, Music Director - Musician Manh Tien, Costume Consultant - Designer Viet Hung, Literary Consultant - Journalist Pham Cong Luan...
The live art program “Saigon – the storytelling river” will encompass both the historical flow through many centuries and the traditional cultural and artistic source, affecting all the senses of the audience, bringing the “pure gold grains” of the original and unique quintessence of the land of Gia Dinh – Saigon – Ho Chi Minh City to a large number of domestic and international tourists.
The river festival promotes the image, land, people, cultural identity, tourism activities and typical cuisine of Ho Chi Minh City.
Sharing about the program, General Director Le Hai Yen said that she spent a whole year researching the history of Ho Chi Minh City through many history books, research... and met with experts and famous historians of the city such as: Associate Professor, Doctor - Historian Nguyen Manh Hung - Former Principal of Hong Bang University, Journalist Pham Cong Luan (known as the Keeper of Saigon's urban memories - with dozens of books written about this land) and a panel of experts who are Heads/Deputy Heads of Departments of Culture, Social Sciences and Humanities Universities invited by the Department of Tourism to consult for the program.
Director Le Hai Yen shared: "I spent nearly a year traveling on the rivers, meeting with 'Saigonologists' to listen to the historical stories of this land, from which the name 'Saigon - The River Tells Stories' was born. The realistic scenes took place on a real river, a real trading port, real boats, real people, real settings and real stories with the most genuine emotions were elevated to art."
Taking culture and history as the starting point, turning human values into the thread throughout, the River Festival and the river art show, held for the first time in Vietnam, will create a unique tourism product. A tourism product associated with the preservation and promotion of the values of heritages and the distinct cultural and historical identities of Gia Dinh - Saigon - Ho Chi Minh City and contributing to building a prominent brand of Ho Chi Minh City tourism on the destination map of international tourists.
