In 2024, along the both banks of the romantic Han River in Da Nang, there will be places for 55 periodic and annual cultural activities and festivals, organized by local agencies and localities. Compared to 2023, there will be many new and groundbreaking activities, closely following the needs and tastes of local residents and tourists.

For the rest of 2024, Da Nang will organise cultural activities - festivals along the both banks of the Han River according to the criteria of novelty, attractiveness, closely following the needs and tastes of local residents and tourists. Photo: X.D

Many new activities

According to the list of cultural and festive activities on both sides of the Han River recently agreed upon by the municipal People's Committee, Da Nang has 19 periodic and 36 annual activities such as street dances, Bai Choi (singing while acting as playing cards), street magic shows, music and life programmes, weekend melodies and street opera performed by agencies, cultural units and unions across the city.

In addition to the familiar activities that have become trademarks on the Han River, this year, the city has included many new activities in the list such as random kpop dance programmes, musical instrument concerts, mobile libraries and outdoor movie screenings and interactive activities.

Also, the city's activities are arranged evenly throughout the weeks and months of the year, appropriate to the weather patterns of the seasons and ensuring that every week there are programmes and events for the participations of both residents and tourists.

Locations for activities are also evenly arranged on both sides of the river, avoiding overlap and overload in some areas as currently. Ms. Ngo Thi My Truc in Son Tra District said: “Going to the banks of the Han River to stroll and watch cultural and artistic activities is my family's habit on weekends. We hope that this year, starting with Tet, the city will have new, interactive art performance activities so everyone can participate in them."

A notable point this year is the street music programme. In recent years, this programme has often been organised by the Center for Culture and Cinema and the Da Nang artist group at the western end of the ‘Rong’ (Dragon) Bridge, opposite the Museum of Cham Sculpture. However, this year, along the banks of the Han River, there are two new street music programmes, conducted by Da Nang College of Culture and Arts and the Hai Chau District Culture and Sports Centre. In particular, it is expected that in the summer, from June to August, a new activity for children called ‘Children’s Playground’ will be organised for the first time by the Centre for Culture and Cinema on the both banks of the Han River.

Deputy Director of the Da Nang Centre for Culture and Cinema Nguyen Cuong said that the children's playground is expected to be held in 3 shows with different themes and locations.

In detail, in the first show, there will be musical instruments, singing and dancing at the western end of the Dragon Bridge. The second show is expected to feature modern dance, ballroom dancing, flashmod along the sidewalk of Nhu Nguyet Street. The third show highlights fashion, ‘ao dai’ and other forms of art at the extended Binh Minh 6 - Bach Dang Street. “In addition to launching new activities, the centre also advocates renewing and upgrading old activities to enrich the ‘spiritual food’ of locals and tourists.”, said Mr. Cuong.

Many art activities, exhibitions, and festivals will be held at the APEC Park in 2024. Photo: X.D

Forming unique cultural products

In addition to activities organised by city-level units, Hai Chau and Son Tra districts will organise many attractive activities in the axis of cultural events - festivals along the both banks of the Han River.

Among the 55 activities listed, there are nearly 20 activities organised by Hai Chau District. In general, the activities organised by Hai Chau district this year are quite diverse, rich with many new features.

As reported by Director of Hai Chau District Cultural and Sports Centre Tran Van Manh, this year's cultural and festive activities along the banks of the Han River will be built by the construction unit as a premise for forming the city’s typical cultural products along the Bach Dang promenade area.

In particular, the unit will focus on implementing new, highlight activities at two main locations: APEC Park and the semicircular landscape floor. At the same time, the district will maintain and increase the scale of cultural programmes associated with local brands creating resonance over the years to serve the needs of residents and tourists.

“This year, the unit will promote coordination with organisations, units and clubs to create diversity in types of activities, promoting the functions of space and cultural institutions on the Han River. In addition to the activities listed, the district will also organise additional events on holidays and the Lunar New Year 2024, contributing to creating a more vibrant atmosphere and promoting the local image.”, said Mr. Manh.

To ensure the effective implementation of activities, the Da Nang People's Committee assigned the municipal Department of Culture and Sports to be the standing agency, responsible for monitoring and urging relevant local agencies in implementing cultural festivals and events along both sides of the Han River in 2024.

According to Deputy Director of the Department of Culture and Sports Nguyen Thi Hoi An, the municipal administration has requires concerned units to carry out activities along the both banks of the Han River to proactively survey the needs and tastes of people and tourists to build good-quality cultural activities and festivals.

Along with that, heed will be paid to innovating organisation methods in terms of both content and form, ensuring breakthroughs and novelties, attracting more attention of residents and tourists, as well as increasing interaction with the audience to ensure organizational effectiveness, moving towards forming unique cultural products along both sides of the Han River.

“The Department has directed its affiliated units to add a number of new activities to the list to create diversity for cultural events and festivals along the both sides of the Han River, in tandem with building art festivals on major holidays of the city and the country as a whole. At the same time, it is a need to connect and coordinate with businesses to organise private events in a bid to socialise a number of activities, ensure long-term quality and have resources to organise more professional programmes.”, said Ms. An.

Reporting by X.DUNG - Translating by A.THU