Cultural activities and art performances to celebrate the New Year will take place next week in downtown Hoi An in the south-central province of Quang Nam.

Photo: VNS/VNA

Nguyen Phuc Chu Street, along with a section of Nguyen Hoang Street and An Hoi statue garden, will turn into a festive site for the Hoi An Welcomes New Year 2015 evening gala.

All activities will take place from 4pm on December 31 to 1am on January 1.Food stalls featuring typical dishes prepared by famous restaurants and food shops from Hoi An Ancient Town will be open throughout the festival.

Foreign bands will kick off the performances, followed by a flash mob by local youths, which festivalgoers are encouraged to join. Next in the schedule comes a fashion show by YALY Couture, a company highly recommended by TripAdvisor. As the clock strikes midnight, spectacular street dances will draw participation from both locals and tourists.

In addition, there will be a special ceremony to welcome the 1.7 millionth visitor to Quang Nam on the main stage at 9pm on New Year's Eve. There will be another ceremony to welcome the first visitor to Hoi An in 2015 at 8am on January 1.

Hoi An Ancient Town was an essential international trading port in the 17^th century, where ships from Japan, China, and European countries docked to exchange wares. Cultural exchange also took place, influencing the town in ways that can still be seen to this day.