Since its opening on May 1st, the Dec. 19 book street has been filled with bookworms. However, the street still needs efforts to turn it into a favourite venue of Hanoians and visitors.

 More than 300 artists from across Ho Chi Minh City are taking part in a “Don ca tai tu” festival which opened on May 16.

 Some 365 paintings by children, representing 365 happy days, will be combined to form a 730-metre painting street around Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi on May 28.

Students from the English linguistics and literature faculty of the HCMC Open University will stage dramas adapted from American literary works in English at the HCMC Drama Theater in downtown HCMC on May 20 and 27. 

 Choir of the Vietnam National Opera and Ballet and the Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra will give a “Melodies of Faith” concert at Hanoi Opera House on May 17.

  Irish boy band singer Shane Filan is scheduled to perform on July 16 in Ho Chi Minh City as part of his ‘Love Always Tour 2017’, according to Zing online newspaper.

A mural painting created by artist Nguyen Thu Thuy and her colleagues from the New Hanoi Art Company located in Da Nang International Airport won the bronze medal at the 10th International Design Awards, the awards jury announced on May 11.

 Ho Chi Minh City has launched a Street Show programme in Nguyen Hue walking street, with weekly performances every Saturday and Sunday.

A photography museum will open on May 15 in Lai Xa village, Hoai Duc district in Hanoi and display and introduce the photography village’s traditional trade. 

The crowds of visitors around booths selling Vietnamese food at the Embassies Food and Culture Festival in the Czech Republic’s Prague on May 13 reflected the increasing popularity of the Southeast Asian country’s cuisine in Prague.

 All Asian architectural students and architects aged under 40 have been invited to join the Spec Go Green International Awards 2017, which aims to honour environmentally friendly architecture.

 Chefs from 12 countries will compete at the international Cao Lau (a Vietnamese dish made with noodles, pork, and greens) cooking challenge in Hoi An on June 12-14.

 Young comic actor Huynh Lap set a new record when his parody film based on Vietnamese blockbuster Tam Cam: The Untold Story earned three million views one day after appearing on YouTube.

 About 30 manhole covers on pavement in HCM City’s District 5 have been turned into streetside paintings by art students as part of a programme to raise awareness about environmental protection and urban beauty.

 Vietnam’s 54 ethnic groups begins a series on the Xo Dang, an indigenous people of Vietnam’s Central Highlands.

 In recent years, a model of mini water puppet stages has become popular with domestic and foreign audiences.

VietNamNet Bridge - Former Miss France and Miss Universe Flora Coquerel posed for her first photo op at Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi on Saturday.

 “If you want to do something extraordinary, you must have extraordinary aspiration”, says Ambassador Pham Sanh Chau, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Special Representative of the Prime Minister of Vietnam on UNESCO Affairs.

 VietNamNet Bridge - The PAS – Hanoi Performing Arts Festival (or Festival des Arts du Spectacle in French) will take place in Hanoi from May 18 to 21.

An exhibition showcasing the reproduction of propaganda artworks created between 1969 and 1972 by the late celebrated Cuban graphic arist René Mederos will be held in Hanoi from May 19 through June 12.