Vu Lan Festival - Buddhist Mother's Day in Viet Nam

The Vu Lan Festival is based on legend of Muc Kieu Lien, a man who created an altar to pray to Buddha for the salvation of his mom.

The festival is also called the ‘Xa Toi Vong Nhan’ Festival because Vietnamese people, and the many in other countries who share the same festival, believe that on this day the souls of the dead can return to their homes and gather with their family members. It is therefore an occasion for family gatherings as well as a time to express love and gratitude to their ancestors and parents. This is the reason why Vu Lan Day is also known as Buddhist Mother’s Day in Viet Nam.

Monday 20 and Tuesday 21 August

Am Phu (Hell) Cave at the Marble Mountains Tourist Area in Hoa Hai Ward, Ngu Hanh Son District

Free admission

International Lion Dance Festival

As part of the Helio Summer Festival 2018, the International Lion Dance Festival will feature amazing performances by 5 teams from China, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Viet Nam.

Saturday 25 August to Tuesday 25 September from 7.30pm to 10.30pm daily

Helio Centre entertainment complex on 2 September street

Free admission

HealthyFarm Farmer’s Market

Organised by the company Evergreen Labs, the fair will introduce local customers to high-quality organic agricultural products.  Included will be forest honey, melaleuca oil, natural cosmetics, food, recycled bags, and handmade items.

The fair will provide a chance for sellers and buyers to exchange experiences and gain useful information about organic and safe food processing and production.

Also, parents will find many interactive and educational activities for their children, including coloring and painting activities, doing crafts and playing creative math games.

For more information, please visit the Farmers’ Market Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/events/1290188894389423/ or its website: www.healthyfarm.org.

Sunday 26 August  from 8.00am - 4.00pm

On Tran Hung Dao, near the Tran Thi Ly Bridge

Free admission

Exhibition featuring photos and documents relating to a Vietnamese mascot

The exhibition will feature as many as 200 photos and documents relating to Nghe, a spiritual animal in Vietnamese culture.

This mascot is a fictional creature with a lion-like head, a long tail, and a dog-like body. Nghe is important like other mascots such as dragon and phoenix because it symbolises the intelligence.

Open until Thursday 30 August

The Da Nang Fine Arts Museum, 78 Le Duan

Free admission

Lantern display

From now until 3 September

East Sea Park, Son Tra District

Free to watch

Beer Festival – B’estival 2018

Inspired from Oktoberfest – the famous beer festival from Bavaria, Germany; B’estival of Sun World Ba Na Hills not only reimagines an exciting festivity scene but also enchants tourists with its own ‘concoction’.

A total of 1 million litres of beer, fine-assorted from the most well-known German breweries is bound to satisfy any beer-fanatic visitor.

The B’estival not only takes place at Du Dome square but also at Beer Plaza – a new venue designed exclusively for B’estival with capacity of over 3,000 seats.

More specific details of this fascinating event are available at https://danangfantasticity.com/en/news/beer-festival-bestival-2018-at-sun-world-ba-na-hills.html

Until 5 September

Sun World Ba Na Hills

‘Charming Da Nang’ musical programme

This 60-minute programme opens with a stage presentation highlighting the city’s most impressive sites such as the Da Nang International Airport, the Han River, and high-rises. It is followed by delightful performances of singing, dancing, and traditional Vietnamese musical instruments, each of them showcasing the culture and beauty of Da Nang, and Viet Nam as a whole. Interestingly, there is a song named ‘Charming Da Nang’ which was written specifically for this programme.

Open daily at 8.00pm

The Labour Culture House, 2 Cach Mang Thang Tam

Tickets, priced at 800,000 VND, can be bought at the Culture House.

Musical performance

A nightly musical performance featuring famous local, national, and overseas Vietnamese singers

Every evening from 8.30pm

Memory Lounge, 7 Bach Dang

Tickets can be booked on 0511 3575898 or 0905881360

Dragon’s head breathes fire and squirts water

Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 August 9.00pm

The eastern end of the Rong (Dragon) Bridge

Free to watch

Han River Bridge swings open

Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 August 11.00pm

The Han River Bridge

Free to watch

Tuong street performance

Apart from enjoying impressive Tuong performances, visitors will be introduced to the art of Tuong mask drawing and its dress codes.  In addition, they will have the opportunity to have their photos taken in Tuong costumes which will be available for hire at the event.

At 7.00pm on Sunday 26 August

Eastern end of the Han River Bridge

Free to watch

Movies:

Equaliser 2

Robert McCall returns to deliver his special brand of vigilante justice when thugs kill his friend and former colleague.

From Friday 24 August

CGV Vinh Trung Plaza, 255 - 257 Hung Vuong              

CGV Vincom Mall, 910A Ngo Quyen

100,000 VND per ticket

Crazy Rich Asians

Rachel Chu is happy to accompany her longtime boyfriend, Nick, to his best friend's wedding in Singapore. She's also surprised to learn that Nick's family is extremely wealthy and he's considered one of the country's most eligible bachelors. Thrust into the spotlight, Rachel must now contend with jealous socialites, quirky relatives and something far, far worse - Nick's disapproving mother.

From Friday 24 August

CGV Vinh Trung Plaza, 255 - 257 Hung Vuong              

CGV Vincom Mall, 910A Ngo Quyen

100,000 VND per ticket

Sadko Underwater Adventure

Life is always hard for people of artistic inclinations. The young Sadko, a peasant’s son, doesn’t want to work in the field like his parents. What he does want is to play his gusli all day long. In his defense, he really has a knack for it. The powers that be notice Sadko’s talent and order him to the Prince’s palace, where they sit him in the corner and command him to play his music as Nastya, the Prince’s daughter, chooses a suitor. Nastya, however, rejects them all and only has eyes for Sadko. Sadko flees Nastya, the palace, and the wedding, and finds himself at the bottom of the sea, befriending Jacob, the talking parrot, on his way. The Sea Kingdom is going through some turbulent times: the wicked Priestess has seized power. To return home, Sadko and Jacob must defeat the Priestess and wake up the Sea King. Overcoming a great deal of difficulties, Sadko finds true friends and true love -Princes Ling, the Sea King’s daughter, at the bottom of the sea.

From Friday 24 August

CGV Vinh Trung Plaza, 255 - 257 Hung Vuong              

CGV Vincom Mall, 910A Ngo Quyen

100,000 VND per ticket