A lotus-themed festival kicked off in Ho Chi Minh City on Friday night, attracting not only local residents but also tourists and expats.

Titled “Sen Troi Nam” (Southern Lotus), the event is held by Sparkling Trading Services and Investment JSC in the Phu My Hung area, with the presence of booths from the southern province of Dong Thap, known as the place where Vietnam’s best lotuses are grown.

The event aims to honor the pure beauty of the flower, as well as introduce the southern traditional cultural characteristics to urban visitors, according to the organizers.

This is the first time for lotuses, which have been nominated as Vietnam’s national flower, to be selected as the main theme of a festival, they added.

Taking place along the Cresent Lake in District 7, “Sen Troi Nam” gathers around 40 booths featuring foods, folk games, music performances including don ca tai tu (the unique traditional musical art of southern Vietnam), calligraphy, to he (a traditional toy for children in Vietnam which is made from rice powder), souvenirs and more.

The culinary booths are one of the event’s highlights with all dishes made from parts of lotuses, including flowers, seeds, branches and roots.

Andreas Schneider decided to take a walk around the venue, after learning of the festival from his hotel bacolny.

The Austrian then told TuoiTre News he is interested in knowing that lotuses have been nominated as the Vietnamese national flower.

“I enjoy this,” he talked of the event.

“I’m now here for weeks and don’t know much about Vietnam but people are really nice so I hope I can stay a long time in Vietnam and can learn more.”

Schneider also said that this is the first time he has seen a festival focusing on lotuses.

Meanwhile, Phi Thi Kim Cuong, a visitor from BinhThanh District, said the event is a chance for people, especially the young, to know more about lotuses, the flower she called “a national pride” for its pure and strong beauty representing Vietnamese people’s spirit.

“I think people should make the event an annual fest,” she added. “Maybe at another location next time, so that more people would know about the flower.”

“Sen Troi Nam” will run until June 28.

Below are some photos of the event taken by Tuoi Tre News.

A man and a kid are seen playing o an quan, a Vetnamese folk game, at the “SenTroi Nam” festival in District 7, Ho Chi Minh City on June 26, 2015. Photo: Dong Nguyen

Lotus-themed souvenirs are on display at the “Sen Troi Nam” festival in District 7, Ho Chi Minh City on June 26, 2015. Photo: Dong Nguyen

The to he booth is one of the most attractive places at the event. Photo: Dong Nguyen

  Visitors take pictures with a lotus boat at the “SenTroi Nam" festival in District 7, Ho Chi Minh City on June 26, 2015. Photo: Dong Nguyen

The “Sen Troi Nam” festival will run until June 28, 2015. Photo: Dong Nguyen

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