The final round of the Sao Mai (Morning Star) contest will start today with the participation of the 15 best contestants.

The Singapore Tourism Board and the Singaporean Embassy in Vietnam on March 23 morning opened the Singapore Festival 2019, the first of its kind, at the pedestrian street around the Hoan Kiem Lake right in the heart of Hanoi.

A selection of noteworthy artistic and cultural events to take place in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City on March 25 - 31.

 A concert, themed ‘Around the world’, will be held on March 27-28 with the participation of talented Vietnamese and international artists and dancers.

 Japanese fingerstyle guitarist Satoshi Gogo, who was the special guest in the Vietnam tour 2018 of Korean guitar prodigy Sungha Jung, will perform in Hanoi, Danang and HCMC early next month.

 The annual Danang International Fireworks Festival will be cut in half from two months to one this year according to local authorities.

 More than 100 spring-summer designs of the Eva De Eva brand were released during the fashion show ‘Colour Your Mood’, held on Wednesday in Hanoi.

 The Vietnam Fashion Week Autumn-Winter 2019 will take place from March 22-24 at Hanoi Bach Thao (Botanical) Park, featuring 15 collections by 14 designers from Hanoi, Thua Thien-Hue, and Ho Chi Minh City. 

 An exhibition titled Tim Lai Ky Uc (Finding Memories) opened at the War Remnants Museum in Ho Chi Minh City on March 21.

 The Singaporean street hawker Chan Hon Meng, famous for serving the world’s cheapest Michelin-starred meal, will cook at Pan Pacific Hanoi Hotel on Friday evening.

 Dang Thu Thao, Miss Vietnam 2012, has been named on a list of the 100 Most Beautiful Faces in Asia for 2018 as announced by TC Candler Asia.

 A ceremony was held on March 20 to receive a certificate recognising Soong Co folk singing by San Diu ethnic group in Lap Thach, Tam Dao and Binh Xuyen districts and Phuc Yen city as a national intangible cultural heritage. 

 A contemporary art exhibition themed “Bridge” featuring 35 artworks and multi-modal installations by US multimedia artist Mark Cooper and Vietnamese-French artist Vu Trong Thuan opened in the central city of Da Nang on March 20.

 The Friends of Vietnam Heritage (FVH) will present a screening of the movie Ba Mua (Three Seasons) written and directed by Vietnamese-American director Tony Bùi on Saturday.

The Dragonfly Theatre Company will stage the play Every Brilliant Thing, written by English playwright and director Duncan MacMillan and British comedian, writer and performer Jonny Donahoe, from March 28-31.

Saigon Outcast will host the Saigon Burger Festival which will feature burgers from nine local restaurants on Saturday. 

 French singer-songwriter and producer Chaton will perform at L’Espace in Hanoi on Saturday, as part of International Francophonie Day.

 Vietnamese-Australian pianist Van-Anh Nguyen will share the stage with top vocalist Doan Trang at Hotel Des Arts Saigon’s Social Club Restaurant on March 22.

 Vietnam will soon officially ask the UNESCO to consider putting the country’s Xoe Thai dance in the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and Cham pottery making art among Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding.

 Hanoi will be hosting its first Singapore Festival on March 23-24 with a wide range of cultural activities.