A spring flower festival gathering ornamental plants from around 500 nurseries in Mekong Delta provinces on Saturday kicked off at Binh Dong Wharf along the Tau Hu Canal in Ho Chi Minh City’s District 8.

The event features a wide range of ornamental plants, including many types of flowers favored by Vietnamese people for Tet (Vietnamese Lunar New Year, which begins on February 12 this year) such as apricot blossoms, marigolds, bougainvillea and more.

People shop for Tet flowers at the spring flower festival at Binh Dong Wharf along Tau Hu Canal in Ho Chi Minh City’s District 8 on February 6, 2021. Photo: Ngoc Phuong / Tuoi Tre

Visitors to the festival will have the chances to walk down a street showcasing calligraphers and their works, learn how to make banh chung (Vietnamese traditional dish for Tet made of sticky rice, mung bean and pork), as well as see replicas of ancient Saigon houses and more.

“Don ca tai tu,” a unique traditional musical art of southern Vietnam, is also featured at the event through performances on boats at the wharf from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm every day from February 6 to 10.

A performance of 'don ca tai tu,” a unique traditional musical art of southern Vietnam, on boat at the spring flower festival at Binh Dong Wharf along Tau Hu Canal in Ho Chi Minh City’s District 8 on February 6, 2021. Photo: Ngoc Phuong / Tuoi Tre

According to Nguyen Thi Thu Hoa, vice chairwoman of District 8 People's Committee, the spring flower market has been maintained since 1975.

Since 2012, District 8 has added a series of spring celebration activities to the market.

This year marks the first time the festival has made it to the series of annual cultural, artistic and festive events of Ho Chi Minh City.

Foreigners visit the spring flower festival at Binh Dong Wharf along Tau Hu Canal in Ho Chi Minh City’s District 8 on February 6, 2021. Photo: Ngoc Phuong / Tuoi Tre

The ongoing event has been scaled down compared with its initial plan to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

For example, entertainment shows within the framework of the event only take place on February 6, 8 and 10 night instead of every day from February 7 to 10 as planned.

“To ensure the public safety in the complicated epidemic situation, we have implemented medical measures such as having visitors’ temperature measured, asking them to sanitize their hands as well as reminding everyone to wear masks,” Vo Trong Nam, deputy director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture and Sports told Tuoi Tre (Youth) Newspaper.

The event will run through February 11.

Visitors stand on a bridge for a bird's eye view over the spring flower festival at Binh Dong Wharf along Tau Hu Canal in Ho Chi Minh City’s District 8 on February 6, 2021. Photo: Ngoc Phuong / Tuoi Tre

Miss Universe Vietnam 2017 H'Hen Nie (right) dons ao dai (Vietnamese traditional costume) while visiting the the spring flower festival at Binh Dong Wharf along Tau Hu Canal in Ho Chi Minh City’s District 8 on February 6, 2021. Photo: Ngoc Phuong / Tuoi Tre

Tran The Thuan, director of the Department of Culture and Sports of Ho Chi Minh City, beats the drum to kick off the spring flower festival at Binh Dong Wharf along Tau Hu Canal in Ho Chi Minh City’s District 8 on February 6, 2021. Photo: Ngoc Phuong/ Tuoi Tre

A lion dance performance at the opening ceremony of the spring flower festival at Binh Dong Wharf along Tau Hu Canal in Ho Chi Minh City’s District 8 on February 6, 2021. Photo: Ngoc Phuong/ Tuoi Tre