Listening to “The Bamboo Forest Tells Stories”
The first highlight of the festival is the Ho Chi Minh Cultural Space, arranged according to the artistic language of “The Bamboo Forest Tells Stories.”
According to the Organizing Committee, the Ho Chi Minh Cultural Space at the Binh Ngo Tet 2026 Book Street Festival is designed with the purpose of both introducing heritage and connecting it with the context of modern development. Through the combination of materials, books, artistic design, and new technology, the central area of the Tet Book Street creates conditions for residents and visitors to access multiple layers of content ranging from tradition to contemporary life.
The first key content is an exhibition commemorating the 115th anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh’s departure to seek a path for national salvation (1911–2026). The experiential area “Following Uncle Ho’s Journey” displays 16 vertical banners quoting literary works written about President Ho Chi Minh, along with a space recreating the image of the house in Kim Lien Village. 360-degree projection technology is applied to enhance interactivity and create depth for historical materials.
The exhibition introduces nearly 70 titles of printed books, e-books, and audiobooks belonging to the Ho Chi Minh Heritage Bookcase. Some notable publications include: Uncle Ho: The Name that Illuminates Viet Nam’s Beauty (a large-format photo book in English), Ho Chi Minh – A Pictorial Biography, Ho Chi Minh – The Man Who Believed in the People, Prison Diary, and The Revolutionary Path. A team of guides will be present in the exhibition area to assist in providing information to visitors.
The next section is an exhibition commemorating the 50th anniversary of Sai Gon–Gia Dinh officially being named Ho Chi Minh City (July 2, 1976 – July 2, 2026), under the theme “Ho Chi Minh City, 50 Years – Transformation Through Every Frame.” Documents and images reflecting the transformation of the urban area are presented on interactive LED screens. Visitors can look up important development milestones across various historical periods of the city.
Communication contents such as the Resolution of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Congress for the 2025–2030 term, the 80th anniversary of the first General Election (1946–2026), and orientations for the election of the 16th National Assembly are also integrated into this space. Information is presented through a combination of book displays and graphic design, helping viewers access it easily and intuitively.
he exhibition “Ho Chi Minh City – A Livable Urban City” introduces the city’s new appearance after the merger of three localities. Here, a master planning model and three artistic book models representing the new localities are displayed. Visitors can use their phones to scan QR codes and experience augmented reality (AR) technology to explore the characteristics of each area.
Launch of the Book ATM
The city’s spirit of innovation is reflected through the exhibition “Ho Chi Minh City After the Merger.” Organized by the General Sciences Library, the exhibition sketches a vivid picture of the city’s new appearance through a model and three locality models shaped from books. Visitors can use personal devices to scan QR codes and explore detailed information and the cultural beauty of each space.
One of the highlights of the Tet 2026 Book Street Festival is the Tet book lucky money programme. This year’s programme will take place at the Compassionate Book ATM area on the first day of Tet, as one of the activities aimed at encouraging book sharing within the community. The Book ATM allows readers to select books in two forms: direct receipt or selection through the system. Publishing units and individuals can contribute books to this activity.
At the festival, the rare book exhibition area under the theme “Do Paper – The Fragrance of Royal Characters” is an unmissable stop for those who love artistic books. The focus is on handcrafted books printed on do paper before 1945, notably Nguyen Du Commemorative Literary and Artistic Collection, published in 1942. This work is a special cultural heritage item as it features 11 original woodblock print inserts by prominent Indochinese painters such as Nguyen Gia Tri, To Ngoc Van, and Tran Van Can.
In the handcrafted artistic book area, bookbinding techniques are introduced along with a presentation by Tran Dai Thang, Director of Dong A Culture Company, regarding participation in the international CODEX Book Art Fair.
Several exchange activities will take place within the framework of the festival. Among them is a calligraphy performance by artist Quang Linh using a 2.7-metre-long brush on an 8-metre sheet of paper, writing the phrase “The Era of Rising.” Some authors will also attend the festival and sign books, including writer Nguyen Nhat Anh and writer-director Xuan Phuong.
The festival also allocates space to introduce technology-based book applications such as AI books, AR books, and digital libraries. The international integration area is arranged in a circular layout with the symbol “Circle of Knowledge Convergence.” Here, many consulates and foreign publishing units will display bilingual publications and share cultural exchange activities.
The Binh Ngo Tet 2026 Book Street Festival, themed “Spring Convergence – Steadfastly Rising,” takes place from February 15 to February 22 (corresponding to the 28th day of the twelfth lunar month to the 6th day of Tet). It is a distinctive cultural rendezvous, playing an important role in promoting and spreading reading culture in the city for more than a decade. With its core value of welcoming the New Year with knowledge and beginning the year with new thinking, the festival transforms the traditional spring outing experience into a journey of cultivating enduring spiritual values.
