The Nguyen Hue city Flower Street in Ho Chi Minh City’s District 1 earlier this year. The 2009 event is set to dazzle visitors from January 23-28.

Ho Chi Minh City will organize the annual Nguyen Hue Flower Street as part of the Tet Festival 2009 with a series of entertainment and charitable activities during the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday late next month.

Tran Hung Viet, head of the organizing committee, said unlike previous festivals, this year’s event would not feature a giant pair of banh tet, which in the past had set a Vietnamese record.

Instead, organizers will host banh tet making contests – open to both individuals and organizations – throughout the city on January 21. The selected entries that make it through the qualifying rounds will compete in a final round at Dam Sen Park the next morning.

The first-prize winner will receive the honor of offering the cake at worshiping ceremonies at the Hung Kings (legendary founders of Vietnam) temple, the Ho Chi Minh Museum and the Ton Duc Thang Museum on January 25.

Organizers will also donate thousands of traditional cakes to disadvantaged people around the city to celebrate the Lunar New Year.

The HCMC government said it views the Tet Festival as a special occasion for both residents and international visitors. The Saigontourist Holding Company has been the main organizer of the festival since 2004.

The main streets in District 1 – Nguyen Hue, Le Loi and Dong Khoi – will be decorated with thousands of colorful lights and lanterns from December 18 to January 1 for the New Year, and from January 18 to February 14 for the Lunar New Year.

Nguyen Hue Flower Street, to open from January 23-28, will feature an array of flowers and ornamental plants, including many from the Central Highlands town of Da Lat. During the week, the scenic boulevard in front of the HCMC government office will be closed to all vehicles.

The festival will also include a parade and musical show featuring Vietnamese traditional folk and contemporary music.

Fireworks shows will be held at six venues around the city on the Lunar New Year Eve, which falls on January 25, the organizing committee said.

Reported by Thu Thuy