Workshops creating sculptures and mascots for Nguyen Hue Flower Street, a staple of the Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday in Ho Chi Minh City, have completed over 80 percent of their work.

With the Year of the Snake just under two weeks away, dozens of workers are working tirelessly to finalize the mascots.

At a workshop in Hiep Binh Chanh Commune, Thu Duc City, an administrative district of Ho Chi Minh City, 'Nang Ty' -- one of the main highlights on Nguyen Hue Flower Street this Tet -- is being crafted and taking shape.

Modeled after a king cobra in an upright posture with a green body, 'Nang Ty' is impressively large, measuring over 50 meters in length and more than 10 meters in height. 

The Binh, a representative of the mascot design and construction unit, said more than 50 workers joined the job and it took them 40-50 days to complete the mascot.

"We have to ensure that every detail, from the spirit to the shape of the mascot, achieves a balance between artistry and friendliness,” Binh said.

A special feature of the snake mascot is its face. To avoid a fierce appearance, workers have paid much attention to its eyes and eyebrows.

Snakes often give people the creeps. Therefore, workers have focused on making the mascot look more amiable and approachable to all ages, Binh added.

When asked about the competitive pressure from other localities, Binh said 'Nang Ty' snake mascot will be in the traditional costume of southern women, including khan ran (traditional black-and-white checkered scarves) and non la (conical hats).

This is a way to honor Vietnamese culture and create a difference from previous mascots.

Prior to making the mascot, a design company spent over six months completing a sketch of the snake.

After careful evaluation, hundreds of artisans began to create the snake.

For this year’s flower street, Ho Chi Minh City aims to attract more tourists and cement its role as Vietnam’s cultural creative hub.

This year's mascots for Nguyen Hue Flower Street are crafted from foam and composite plastic, enhanced with digital electronics.

For the larger sculptures, parts are 3D printed and then assembled with glue.

The Nguyen Hue Flower Street organizing committee has planned for the street to be segmented into three themes: unity, transformation, and development.

The setup and decoration of the flower street will kick off at 7:00 am on January 9 and wrap up by noon on January 27, featuring 109,000 baskets filled with various types of flowers.

Nguyen Hue Flower Street will open from 7:00 pm on January 27 to 9:00 pm on February 2. 

Aside from snake mascots, the street will feature robots and the city’s first metro line.

Launched in 2004, Nguyen Hue Flower Street has become a highly-anticipated cultural symbol of Ho Chi Minh City during Tet and will be in its 22nd edition this year.

Saigontourist Group coordinates with local departments and agencies to construct and decorate the flower street under the direction of the municipal People’s Committee.

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