The program is part of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee's plan to organize the Binh Ngo Lunar New Year Book Street Festival 2026, themed "Spring Convergence - Steadfast Steps Forward." The festival will be held simultaneously on Le Loi Street (the section from Nguyen Hue to Quach Thi Trang, in Saigon and Ben Thanh wards), New City Park (Binh Duong ward), and the House of Revolutionary Traditions (Vung Tau ward).
The opening ceremony is scheduled for 17h on 15/2 (the 28th day of the twelfth lunar month) at the intersection of Le Loi and Nguyen Hue.
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Nguyen Van Binh book street during Tet. Photo: Quynh Tran
On Le Loi Street, organizers will arrange exhibition areas for publications, documents, and images related to Ho Chi Minh Cultural Space, commemorating 50 years of Ho Chi Minh City bearing Uncle Ho's name, and showcasing the city's economic, cultural, and political achievements under the theme "Ho Chi Minh City - a livable urban area." Current events will also be integrated, such as commemorating 80 years since the first general election, displaying books that won the National Book Award 2025, a spring newspaper exhibition, and cultural spaces from various consulates.
A new highlight this year is the increased application of technology, with experiential zones for e-books, audiobooks, artificial intelligence, a "compassionate book ATM" model, open reading spaces, and audiobook libraries for the visually impaired. Author interactions, workshops, interactive playgrounds, and book-tea/coffee events will be held throughout the festival.
At New City Park in Binh Duong, the book fair space will feature an additional spring newspaper exhibition area, a "calligraphy master" zone (Ong Do), book lucky money activities, and reading playgrounds for children.
Meanwhile, the House of Revolutionary Traditions in Vung Tau will highlight historical content, achievements in marine economy, and external communication on seas and islands, combining a book fair with cultural exchange programs.
Compared to previous years, the 2026 festival expands to more locations, increasing its reach and community connection. It also more clearly combines the traditional values of Tet books with modern reading trends, aiming to bring reading culture closer to all public groups at the beginning of the new year.
The book street festival is a typical cultural activity held in Ho Chi Minh City every Lunar New Year. For the Binh Ngo Lunar New Year 2026, the festival enters its 16th year. Last year, the festival attracted over one million visitors who explored, purchased books, and participated in experiential activities.
Le Tuyet
