The ‘Ho Chi Minh City - Our Common Home’ festival opened to the joy of local people and visitors in downtown Ho Chi Minh City on Friday night.

The music and cultural event is taking place in the Nguyen Hue pedestrian zone, on Le Loi Boulevard and at Bach Dang Wharf Park in District 1 through Sunday.

This fest is expected to attract performers from 23 cities around the world that have established relationships with Ho Chi Minh City, including Luna Negra - a music band from Cuba, Outrange Band from the Philippines, and a Malaysian dance group, and a Japanese kendo group.

It also features the first trumpet music festival in the city.

People enjoy music performances in the Nguyen Hue pedestrian zone, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, December 2, 2022. Photo: T.T.D / Tuoi Tre

On its opening night on Friday, the festival did not only attracted local people, but also caught the attention of many international visitors and left them with nice impressions.

One of those visitors is Daniel Dixon, a Canadian who is enjoying a trip in Vietnam with his wife and just arrived in Ho Chi Minh City earlier the same day.

Although Dixon and his wife did not know much about the ongoing event, they spent time through the artistic space on the pedestrian street and experience the vibrant atmosphere.

A Malaysian troupe performs a folk dance in the Nguyen Hue pedestrian zone, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, December 2, 2022. Photo: T.T.D / Tuoi Tre

“Vietnamese food was one of the reasons why we come here,” Dixon said.

“Now I live in San Francisco, and also very close to San Francisco is San Jose, which is one of the biggest Vietnamese populations outside Vietnam, so we had lots of Vietnamese food from there.

“I ate lots of food from Vietnam, and some are my favorite.

“We’re excited to come here and try it where it is.”

Visitors join the Xoe dance with a dance troupe from northern Lai Chau Province on Le Loi Boulevard in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, December 2, 2022. Photo: T.T.D / Tuoi Tre

Spending half of his Vietnam trip in Hanoi, after arriving in Ho Chi Minh City, Dixon noted some differences. 

“One of my first impressions was that Ho Chi Minh City is very well-developed,” he said.

“Extremely wide boulevards, and I noticed that a metro is opening pretty soon.

“I see a lot of growth and development and I am really enjoying my time here, even though I’ve just been here for eight hours.”

A Vietnamese performance in the Nguyen Hue pedestrian zone, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, December 2, 2022. Photo: T.T.D / Tuoi Tre

Like Dixon, Andrew, a British, only arrived in Ho Chi Minh City on Friday and will have to leave the next day, but his short two-day business trip in the southern metropolis has really surprised him. 

“Exciting,” “vibrant,” and “wonderful” are among the many adjectives he used to describe his first thoughts about the city. 

Although he was in a hurry, he managed to try some Vietnamese dishes and commented that they were very delicious.

A Vietnamese performance in the Nguyen Hue pedestrian zone, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, December 2, 2022. Photo: T.T.D / Tuoi Tre

Chiara and Aude, two friends from France, were also among the people who excitedly watched the performances of Vietnamese and foreign art troupes through big screens in the Nguyen Hue pedestrian zone on Friday night. 

Chiara shared that she noted down a few places she definitely wants to visit again when she returns to Ho Chi Minh City next time.

She did not hide her smiles as she was giving positive comments about her experience in the city.

“This city is so lovely and interesting. This is a completely new experience for me,” Chiara said.

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