For a long time, the Vietnamese custom of asking for and giving good words has become an indispensable traditional custom on the first days of the Lunar New Year. 

 As the spring season revs up this year, colourful celebrations are taking place across the country. Here are some of the best festivals for spring 2017.

 Tien Dat from Hanoi has developed quite a fan base in Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam and the Philippines at the male beauty pageant – Mister International 2017 – ongoing in Thailand.

  Pham Tuyen is a musician whose music has been closely associated with different periods of Vietnam’s history.

 Cleaning up or replacing the altaris the most crucial ritual in the festival of the Mong people. It is believed to please their ancestors, who will protect and bless them during the upcoming year.

 The Tet cake is made with sticky rice and filled with pork fat and beans seasoned with black pepper and shallots. It is considered a variant of Chung cake (square glutinous rice cake), which is more popular in the northern region.

 Twenty Vietnamese flower artisans are displaying original floral installation works at a new exhibition in Hanoi to celebrate Valentine’s Day.

Many localities nationwide have held a wide range of activities in response to the 15th Vietnam Poetry Day 2017, which opened at the Temple of Literature in Hanoi on February 11 or the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. 

 In the Lunar New Year (Tet) season, there are folk games across the country, including tug-of-war, swinging and cock fighting. For many Vietnamese, the games are part of their childhood.

 The Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism has proposed two new tourism packages involving the historical Opera House.

 A series of cultural activities will take place in the ancient town of Hội An in the annual Nguyên Tiêu (the full moon of the first lunar month of the year) Festival from Sunday to February 15th.

Well-known Hollywood icon Samuel L. Jackson told Southeast Asia Globe at a recent interview that of all the fantastical locations he has worked in over his 40-year career, Vietnam is his favourite.

A large number of local people and visitors joined the Pig Procession festival in La Phu village, Hoai Duc, Hanoi on February 9.

Archdaily, a world's most popular architecture website, has showcased a working office of a multimedia company in HCM City on its website.

 Thousands took to the Hanoi outskirts district of Hoai Duc on February 8 for the opening ceremonies of the five-day Lai Yen Festival.

 Vietnamese movie star and music producer Ngo Thanh Van, known as Veronica Ngo in English, plays the role of a killer named Tien in a US film starring Will Smith, Joel Edgerton and Noomi Rapace.

 Vietnamese-French pianist Tri Nguyen will stage a recital in HCM City’s French Culture Exchange Institute (IDECAF) next week.

For the Vietnamese people, spring is the season of festivals. Over recent days, various festivals took place in many regions in the country, attracting crowds of visitors. 

 Well-known K-pop band Block B will liven up Ho Chi Minh City in the Ho Chi Minh City-Gyeongju World Culture Expo 2017 to be held on February 21, according to an official fanpage of the band in Vietnam.

 A concert celebrating the 25th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Vietnam and the Republic of Korea (RoK) will be held at the Vietnam National Academy of Music on February 18.