HCMC plans 6 fireworks displays for Lunar New Year's Eve

Ho Chi Minh City will host fireworks at six locations on Lunar New Year's Eve, January 22, 2023, after two years of Covid-19 hiatus.

HCMC's only high-altitude staging point on New Year's Eve to welcome the Lunar New Year will be at the beginning of the Saigon River tunnel (Thu Duc city), said deputy director of the municipal Department of Culture and Sports Vo Trong Nam.

The low-altitude spots are arranged at the Ben Noc memorial temple (Thu Duc city), Dam Sen cultural park (District 11), Can Thanh commune (Can Gio district) and the memorial temple for martyrs Ben Duoc (Cu Chi district), the memorial area for martyrs of Mau Than 1968 (Binh Chanh district).

Fireworks times will range from midnight to 0:15 a.m on January 22, the first day of the Lunar New Year.

Besides fireworks, many activities to celebrate the Lunar New Year will take place like Duong Sach (book street) Festival, from 5 p.m. on January 19 to 26, with this year's location moved to Le Loi street (District 1) instead of Nguyen Van Binh Book street.

HCMC will also set up a Nguyen Hue flower street, Spring flower festival in Tao Dan Park (District 1) and six Tet flower markets include: September 23 Park (District 1), Gia Dinh Park (Phu Nhuan district and Go Vap district), Le Van Tam Park (District 1), Phu My Hung flower street (District 7), Binh Dien wholesale market (District) and one location in Thu Duc city.

The city will organize many cultural and artistic activities like Cai luong (reformed opera that features traditional southern region culture) at Tran Huu Trang Theater and in front of the city's Cultural Center from January 14 to February 5; and Don ca tai tu (a unique folk art form of the southern region people, formed and developed in the late 19th century) in front of the Opera House from January 20 to 29.

Meanwhile, Hanoi will host 31 fireworks displays across 30 locations on the Lunar New Year's Eve, January 22, 2023, the city People's Committee announced on Friday.

The central district of Hoan Kiem, home to the iconic Hoan Kiem (Sword) Lake, will have two fireworks displays, while the remaining 29 districts and townships one each.

The duration of the fireworks is 15 minutes, and the time of firing is from midnight to 0:15 a.m.

Previously, in 2020, Hanoi only set off fireworks at Thong Nhat Park and in 2021, none due to the Covid-19 pandemic.