Festival portrays ethnic minority life to celebrate Tet

The Vietnamese Museum of Ethnology will host a festival to promote the traditional ceremonies and daily life of ethnic minority groups on

February 22 and 23 in celebration of the impending Lunar New Year (Tet).

Activities from the H’Mong, including the Gau Tao festival, Khen (a traditional musical instrument) and flute playing, and “hat ong” (folk singing) will be portrayed, alongside the “mua nghi le” (a ritual dance) of the Dao Tuyen and wedding folk dances of the Dao Do.

The festival will also feature puppet shows depicting the daily life of local farmers and the playing of “Phao dat” (clay crackers) and several folk games of the H’Mong, Si La, San Chay and Dao ethnic groups.

In addition, visitors will be able to explore Vietnamese calligraphy, Dong Ho painting, and “to he” (a traditional toy figurine) as well as dressing in ethnic costumes in the Folk Architecture Garden.

Ethnic groups from northern Hoa Binh province will also offer their traditional cuisine.-

Tet Art Fair presents works of Hanoi artists

More than 80 artists from Hanoi are presenting their works at the Tet Art Fair that is underway in the city.

The fair features 350 artworks created from different materials, including lacquer, oil on canvas, woodblock, watercolour, ceramics and sculpture.

According to painter Trinh Minh Tien, the fair's founder, the event aims to revive the old habit of buying paintings to decorate houses during the Lunar New Year holidays.

The event is also a chance for art lovers to get close to art by "offering works at reasonable prices".

"None of the pieces cost more than 20 million VND (950 USD)," he said.

Discussions with famous painters such as Tran Huy Oanh, Le Huy Tiep, Le Thiet Cuong and Trinh Tuan will be hosted at the fair, and workshops on woodblock and watercolour techniques are also on the agenda.

The Tet Art Fair is taking place on the third floor of Hang Da Galleria Market until February 15.

Half-Korean girl, American teacher release Tet CD, music video

A half-Korean girl and an American expat, who together won the first Vietnamese season of the “Your Face Sounds Familiar Kids” reality show, have debuted their CD and richly-colored music video to celebrate the upcoming Tet (Lunar New Year).

Ju Uyen Nhi, also known as Ju So Yeun, and Kyo York, who served as her mentor in the Portuguese-origin reality TV show “Your Face Sounds Familiar Kids” last year, have jointly released a CD and music video titled “Xuan Yeu Thuong” (Spring of Love) right ahead of Tet.

Tet begins on February 19, with festivities lingering on around one week after that.

The music video features York and Ju performing four signature Tet songs in impeccable Vietnamese.

The pair showcase their sweet voices and acting skills in emotional songs and boisterous dance steps in cheery songs.

The video clip, which is almost 10 minutes in length, is a combination between traditional and contemporary music by seamlessly blending “dan bau” (traditional Vietnamese monochord), “tuong” (traditional opera), and folk tunes with hip hop and popping.

York said he had spent part of his savings on the special CD and music video.

Ju will fly to South Korea, her father’s home country, and share the video with her relatives and friends to offer them a taste of the gorgeous Tet in Vietnam, the nine-year-old girl said.

Born to a Korean father and a Vietnamese mother, Ju scored high in the local version of the “Your Face Sounds Familiar Kids” show for her sweet voice, boisterous performance, and bewitching impersonation as Vietnamese male artists and Paul Anka, a Canadian singer, songwriter and actor.

The little girl began learning to sing and perform when she was three and a half years old.

York, who has lived in Vietnam for over four years and considers the country his second homeland, has become a household name to many Vietnamese TV viewers thanks to his regular appearances as a contender, host, and coach in several game shows. He is also working as an English teacher.

The American man speaks flawless Vietnamese and performs emotional local songs remarkably well, including pieces by Trinh Cong Son, a revered late Vietnamese composer.

He has released several videos which feature him singing against the gorgeous background of landscapes in different regions of the country, including the Mekong Delta. e also released a CD ahead of Tet last year.

The two took home an award of VND700 million (US$32,947) from the show’s finale in late December last year, with VND500 million ($23,301) being donated to charity.

1st Young Photographer Festival to be kicked off in March

The first Young Photographer Festival will be launched in March by the Department of Fine Arts, Photography and Exhibition (under th Ministry of Culture, Sport and Tourism).

The competition titled “Young Generation of Vietnam” and “Urban life, and Modernization of Rural Area” will be open to all Vietnamese people aged 18-35 living at home and abroad.

The event aims to encourage young artists’ creativity in reflecting contemporary life, the people, culture, landscape and activities in building and protecting the country.

Selected photos will be presented at the award ceremony in Hanoi in September.

Can Tho to host Book Festival

The first Can Tho Book Festival will be held at Luu Huu Phuoc Park in the Mekong Delta City from March 26-31.

The event themed “Book- knowledge and culture” will have about 260 display booths of 100 publishing houses throughout the country.

It is one of the largest-scale book shows in the country, including Ho Chi Minh City Book Festival and Hanoi Book Festival.

The event will present to readers thousands of book titles; exhibition sections introducing rare and valuable works, publications and books on the late president Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam's sea, islands sovereignty, the 40th anniversary of the South's Liberation Day (April 30th), and the Mekong Delta region.

There will also have seminars, exchanges between writers and readers.

Ba Ria- Vung Tau to open Tourism Festival 2015

Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Ba Ria- Vung Tau province will hold the first Ba Ria- Vung Tau Tourism Festival in Vung Tau city from February 27 to March 2.  

The festival is considered as a favorable opportunity so that enterprises can advertize and introduce their tourism products to domestic and foreign tourists.

Until now, 20 enterprises in Ba Ria- Vung Tau province and six other provinces and cities nationwide have registered to participate in the event, including Ho Chi Minh City, vinh Long, Ben Tre, Bac Lieu, Tra Vinh, Dong Nai and Ba Ria – Vung Tau.

Many attractive activities are expected to be taken place during the event .

Hanoi to host unique Valentine’s Day fest next week

A Valentine’s Day festival that promises unique experiences for couples will be organized in Hanoi next week.

As most people are busy preparing for Tet (Lunar New Year), which begins on February 19, many young couples are working out their plans on where to go for a memorable Valentine’s Day.

Valentine’s Day falls on Saturday next week, or the 26th of the current lunar year’s final month.

The 2015 Valentine-Spring Festival will take place on Friday and Saturday next week in Hanoi’s Ho Tay (West Lake) Park, at 614 Lac Long Quan in Tay Ho District.

The festival is a collaboration between HeartLink, a local company, and the park’s management, according to newswire Vietnamplus.

According to the organizer, the festival will boast diverse activities, including several believed to be held for the first time in Vietnam.

Highlights include a cocktail party, an artificial arrangement shaped as Romeo and Juliet’s house – where couples can pose for photos – as well as ample space for young men to express their first loving words to their girls.

One of the best parts will be a mass kissing competition, which is expected to gather some 100 couples to cuddle and exchange passionate kisses.

Love-themed dance and singing competitions, street art performances, and re-enactments of romance from classic literary and motion picture works will also add sweetness to the couples’ special day.

The event is set to kick off at 2:00 pm on Friday next week and run throughout the entire following day.

The park will also offer plenty of games for couples, families, and groups of friends to take part in.

Tickets cost VND100,000 (US$5) apiece.