Organizers of Nguyen Hue Flower Street, an annual event held in Ho Chi Minh City to celebrate Vietnam’s Lunar New Year, unveiled the first draft designs for its 17th edition in 2020 on Friday.

Every year, the famous Nguyen Hue Walking Street in District 1 is transformed into a flower street in celebration of the Vietnamese Lunar New Year.

The upcoming year’s event is themed “Ho Chi Minh City – Confidently Stepping Forward” and will open to visitors from January 22 to 28, 2020.

The flower way is expected to stretch nearly 700 meters down Nguyen Hue Street, from the newly-revived fountain that was inaugurated earlier this month to the intersection with Ton Duc Thang Street.

Like previous years, the 2020 Flower Street will be divided into three main sections and decorated using environmentally friendly materials in a "harmonious combination of natural, traditional, and modern elements," according to Truong Tan Son, deputy head of the organizing board.

An artist’s impression of the 2020 Nguyen Hue Flower Street

As the 2020 Lunar New Year ushers in the Year of the Rat, the vast majority of the upcoming event's concepts and decorations will pay homage to the animal, with about 130 mascots set up along the flower street.

Particularly, the entrance will feature a group of rats inspired by a popular example of Dong Ho painting, a kind of Vietnamese folk art known for its simple yet natural beauty.

The highlights of the venue will include a garden inspired by the Cloud Forest attraction at Singapore’s famous Gardens by the Bay nature park.

A massive kinetic sculpture measuring five meters in diameter will be erected at the other end of the flower way, mimicking the motions of a flower.

In addition to floral displays, visitors to the flower street will have a chance to watch store-front performances outside offices of local tour operator Saigontourist.

Work on decorating the street will begin from January 8 to 22 next year, according to the organizers.

An artist’s impression of the 2020 Nguyen Hue Flower Street

An artist’s impression of the 2020 Nguyen Hue Flower Street

An artist’s impression of the 2020 Nguyen Hue Flower Street

An artist’s impression of the 2020 Nguyen Hue Flower Street

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