Colourful flower carriages and dances by foreign artists during a street carnival will kick-start the 2019 Sam Son Sea Tourism Festival in Sam Son city, in the central province of Thanh Hoa, on April 13.

Artists from Sun Group performing at a street carnival around Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi in 2017.

Held for the first time by Sun Group in Thanh Hoa, the event promises to become an impressive opening for the festival which signals the start of the 2019 sea travel season in Sam Son.

With the presence of professional European dancers from Sun World Ba Na Hills in Da Nang, the carnival delegation will depart from the Sea Square at the Ho Xuan Huong - Hai Ba Trung crossroad, to the stage for the opening ceremony of the 2019 Sam Son Sea Festival at the Ho Xuan Huong - Tay Son intersection.

On the route, the parade will stop to perform on a stage at three venues, including the junctions of Hai Ba Trung - Ho Xuan Huong, Le Thanh Tong - Ho Xuan Huong and Tay Son - Ho Xuan Huong streets.

The carnival shows and parades will take place from 9:30 am to 11:30 am in the morning and from 4 pm to 6 pm in the afternoon of April 13.

In addition, the festival will also feature various cultural and sporting activities, including table tennis, badminton and tennis competitions, a Sam Son open golf tournament and a bicycle race, among others.

In particular, the opening night of Sam Son Sea Tourism Festival 2019 will also be held on the evening of April 13, the largest of its kind so far.

The stage will be magnificently transformed into a precious pearl with brilliant colours from the sea. The story of Sam Son coastal city will be recreated with dances, colours and music during the 90 minutes of the programme, featuring the participation over 200 artists and actors, including a range of celebrities in Vietnamese showbiz.

Nhan Dan