The sixth Southern Land Cuisine Festival 2016 will take place from May 28 to June 1 at Dam Sen Park in District 11, HCMC, featuring a wide variety of specialties of the country’s southern region.

According to organizers the HCMC Department of Tourism, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the HCMC Tourism Association and Phu Tho Tourist Service Co, the annual festival is to set up a new model of tourism, culture and cuisine in HCMC, which will allow local and foreign visitors to taste different Vietnamese specialties, particularly those of the southern land.

MAIN ACTIVITIES

Regional typical food and beverages served: The gastronomic styles of the four different regions will be introduced at the festival—including the central region, the Central Highlands, the southern region and Saigon.

There will be more than 250 delicious dishes and beverages, such as nem nuong (BBQ rolls), ba khia rang me (freshwater crabs fried with tamarind), ga nuong Ban Don (Don Village-style grilled chicken), to name just a few.

Traditional music show: Don ca tai tu (southern amateur music) show will be performed at the lotus pond area. Artists from Long An, Tien Giang and Can Tho will alternately entertain guests throughout the five-day festival.

Southern Land’s countryside market: There will be street foods in bamboo baskets carried by bamboo poles, hawkers’ cries and rural dishes such as boiled peanuts, boiled corn, hot tofu and fresh fruit. Vaudeville acts and magic tricks and songs will also be performed at the market.

NEW THINGS AT THE FESTIVAL

Introduction of 100 southern-style sweet soups and cakes: The organizers will set up a corner for 100 southern-style sweet soups and cakes prepared from mung beans, coconuts, bananas, corn, cassava, sticky rice and rice powder, among others. Binh Quoi Tourist Village will be in charge of this corner.

Traditional shows and folk games: The Cham traditional music and dance troupe from Ninh Thuan Province and the Khmer artist troupe from Soc Trang Province will perform within the five days of the event.

They will also carry out traditional wedding ceremonies of the Cham people and the Khmer people. Folk games will include di cau kieu(passing bamboo bridges) and bit mat bat heo (blindfolded to catch pigs).

Vocational promotions: Apart from honoring and promoting regional food and beverages, the organizers will have classes where guests and children are shown how to make some dishes.

Gastronomic experts will be invited to give lessons on the art of gastronomy and teach guests how to cook dishes. In addition, the organizers and the HCMC Department of Education and Training will hold the “I love Vietnamese dishes” contest for students with the sponsorship of Minh Long Ceramics.

Participants will be taught to prepare and make dishes, such as spring rolls and banh chung (square sticky rice cakes).

THIRTY UNITS AND 50 DINING BOOTHS

The festival will focus on the quality and the exclusiveness of regional dishes. As a result, the number of dining stalls is restricted to 50 so as to ensure the quality of the dishes selected from a list of 100 southern specialties annually voted by diners.

Participants are restaurants and hotels from Hue, Quang Nam, Vung Tau, Dong Nai, Binh Thuan, Ninh Thuan, Tay Ninh, Ben Tre, Long An, Tien Giang and the Central Highlands’ provinces apart from hospitality companies in HCMC.

Especially, this year’s event will be attended by foreign hotels and restaurants from Japan, Thailand, South Korea, Singapore and Malaysia.

The F&B corner will be by the lotus pond.

TWO CONTESTS

“Southern Specialties” contest: The contest will take place at 10 a.m. on May 30. Judges will select a list of 100 southern specialties for the next season. Criteria include outstanding characteristics of the region, ingredients, cooking skills, presentation and the meaning of the dish.

“Impressive Booth” contest: Participants should decorate their booths using their most creative ideas. The organizers will not supply ready-made booths as in previous years.

The stalls must be made from bamboo, rattan and palm leaves. The most impressive booths are those featuring the meaning of the festival and regional characteristics. Judging will take place at 3 p.m. on May 29.

TICKETS

Tickets are priced at VND250,000/pax, inclusive of entrance, dining and a 50% discount when buying package tickets to Dam Sen Park. A cuisine ticket bought before noon on May 27 will be given a free entrance ticket to Dam Sen.

From May 28 to June 1, one full-package ticket to Dam Sen for kids will be accompanied by a voucher worth VND20,000 (used during the day to buy beverages, foods and souvenirs at the park).

Dam Sen Cultural Park: 3 Hoa Binh Street, District 11, HCMC. Tel: 08.39632483. Email: congvienvanhoadamsen@gmail.com

SGT