In 2023, Da Nang plans to organise 75 cultural activities and festivals along the both banks of the iconic Han River. Not only rich in number and diversity of participants, the city makes every effort to build new and unique activities in a bid to satisfy the growing demands for cultural enjoyment of residents and visitors.

A dance performance in the arts program "Son Tra - a beloved locality" organised by the Son Tra District authorities at a public park on the eastern end of the Dragon Bridge in 2022. Photo: X.D

Variety of cultural and entertainment activities

According to the list of activities agreed by the municipal government, 16 regular activities will be organised from January to October by the city’s Film and Culture Center, the Trung Vuong Theater, the Nguyen Hien Dinh Tuong Theater, the municipal Youth Union, and art clubs. Included will be street dances, street music, modern dance performances and folk dances.

Basically, these are relatively familiar. However, the new point is that this year, these activities will be spread out evenly along both banks of the Han River, avoiding too much concentration on weekends and frequently held venues to refresh spiritual dishes for local residents and visitors.

To be held from March to September 2023, municipal Youth Union-hosted ‘Youth Arts Playground’ will have 28 programme with many interesting activities.

Municipal Youth Union Deputy Secretary Nguyen Thi Anh Thao said that this year’s event is expected to take place in the southern park on the western end of the Dragon Bridge, opposite the Museum of Cham Sculpture.

In order to meet the needs and interests of young people, this year’s event will feature various exciting activities with a joyful atmosphere such as street dances, hip-hop, various types of street arts, flashmob contest, and a contest to seek arts talents.

In addition to the periodic activities, there will be nearly 50 annual activities to be held throughout 12 months of the year with arts programmes, festivals, contests, and exhibitions to celebrate public holidays, Tet and important anniversaries of the country and the city.

Of which, the weekend shows of fire breathing and water squirting at the eastern end of the Rong (Dragon) Bridge will be implemented under the form of socialization. Meanwhile, the remainder will be mostly organised by the city's cultural and artistic agencies and units and the authorities of Son Tra and Hai Chau districts.

One of the highlights in this year's list of cultural activities and festivals is the municipal Women's Union-hosted ‘Weekend rendezvous’ programme slated to take place on the last Friday of each month from April - September.

Chairwoman of the municipal Women's Union Hoang Thi Thu Huong said that currently, the whole city has 251 sport dance clubs with more than 4,000 members.

The soon-to-be-organised programme is as part of the project on improving the quality of traditional education, cultural, artistic and sports activities in the Da Nang Women's Union and its chapters at all levels over the 2023-2026 period, Mrs. Huong added.

Ensure breakthrough, novelty

To ensure the effective implementation of the aforementioned activities, the municipal government urges the authorities of Son Tra and Hai Chau districts are urged to renovate the method of organising activities in both content and form in order to ensure a breakthrough and novelty and increase interaction with the audience through digital-based activities.

Heed will be on increasing interaction with the audience through activities based on digital platform technology towards the formation of unique cultural products along the both banks of the Han River.

Head of the Culture and Information Office of Son Tra District Vo Thi Phuong said that, after COVID-19, 2022 was a prerequisite year for localities and the city to restart cultural and festival activities on both sides of the Han River. The list of cultural activities - festivals this year is a strong step forward, bringing vitality to the festival axis of the week, contributing to attracting more tourists to Da Nang.

She informed that, in the beginning of the year, Son Tra District will host the 'Cau Ngu' (Fish Worshipping) Festival, and a traditional boat race on the Han River.

In addition to the activities hosted by the district authorities according to the list, this year, the locality will aim to promote socialization events to have new activities and secure investment resources to build more professional programmes.

“Currently, the district is working with a number of capable private units to organize a number of events along both banks of the Han River. In particular, the district will support the work of ensuring security and order, and environmental sanitation, thereby contributing to promoting the image of the district and attracting units and businesses to participate in the organization of cultural and art programmes in the locality" Mrs. Phuong revealed.

Reporting by THIEN DUYEN - Translating by M.DUNG