Doan Hong Tuoi, Chairman of Tan Uyen city’s People’s Committee, Head of the Organization Board of the 3rd “Bach Dang Pomelo Fragrance” festival: Festival is an attractive spring rendezvous for tourists...

After many years of being paused, due to many different reasons, this year, the third "Bach Dang Pomelo Fragrance" festival will be held again on a larger scale. To know more about the activities of this year's festival, Binh Duong Newspaper had an interview with Doan Hong Tuoi, Chairman of Tan Uyen city’s People's Committee, Head of the Organization Board of the third "Bach Dang Pomelo Fragrance" festival about some related contents.

Tourists at a pomelo orchard in Bach Dang commune

- Compared to the previous festivals, what is special and new about this year's festival, sir?

- The third "Bach Dang Pomelo Fragrance" festival is part of a series of activities to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the establishment of Tan Uyen town - Tan Uyen city. The festival lasts 4 days from January 25 to 28, 2024, with 65 booths participating in displaying typical industrial and agricultural products and cuisine with more than 80 units from districts, towns and cities in and out of the province, businesses and establishments in the city. The products displayed and sold at the festival are all specialties with their own brands of localities and units. There will be more activities at the festival.

Especially, this year’s festival has such new activities as organizing a workshop to introduce advanced organic agricultural technology processes and instructions for installing and using electronic traceability systems for the local key products; organizing the "Tet Reunion" program for disadvantaged workers who cannot afford to return home for Tet; organizing tours to cultural and historical relics in the city; organizing to pick up and drop off visitors by yacht on the Dong Nai River; organizing performances of traditional martial arts clubs; organizing folk game areas throughout 4 days; holding a theatrical program with special performances, including newly composed songs about Tan Uyen city in 2023, celebrating the 10th anniversary of the establishment of Tan Uyen town - Tan Uyen city.

This activity also contributes to the development of the city's agricultural economy and tourism products, serving the enjoyment needs of a large number of tourists. This is also an opportunity for the locality to organize many cultural, artistic and sports activities to serve the spiritual and cultural enjoyment needs of the people and tourists, and organize a Tet reunion program with many activities, meeting the need of buying gifts and necessities for Tet at preferential prices and is also an opportunity to take care of the poor and workers who cannot afford to return home for Tet.

- During the festival, which activities will be held to serve the entertainment and shopping needs of the people, sir?

- This year's festival has many activities taking place within 4 days, including displaying all kinds of pomelos, products from pomelos for Tet, ornamental pomelo trees for Tet, citrus fruits, typical agricultural products and typical industrial and rural products of the city and technical guidance on planting and caring for displayed tree varieties; organizing visits to tourist attractions in the city; organizing "Hometown Cuisine" booths, a culinary festival of cakes and typical regional cuisine, introducing typical dishes of the city and some Vietnamese countryside dishes; organizing folk games; organizing welfare booths for employees; organizing performances for traditional martial arts clubs.

In addition, visitors can immerse themselves in exciting activities in the festival space such as "Traditional boat racing and FLyboard performance" competed by boat teams in and out of the city; the running program to celebrate the festival and support the Tan Uyen city’s Open Traditional Cross Country Tournament; the "Don Ca Tai Tu” (southern folk opera) festival; exciting items from with "Spring of the homeland and youth” dance groups, the "Farmers' competition" festival, the "Painting on conical hats" contest; the "Homeland Beauty" contest…

Especially, the festival will feature the "Tet Reunion" program with many activities to take care of Tet for workers staying in Tan Uyen city to celebrate Tet, giving gifts for workers with difficult circumstances, donating 20 bicycles to poor-but-excellent students, offering 25 gifts to poor households and displaying essential goods to serve the lives of workers at stable prices.

- What is the thing that Tan Uyen city wants to introduce and promote through the 3^rd "Bach Dang Pomelo Fragrance" festival, sir?

- The festival contributes to promoting economic connection, trade, service and tourism development activities under the province's orientation and the Resolution of the city’s Party Executive Committee set out in the 2020-2025 term. This festival is an opportunity for Tan Uyen city to introduce the "Bach Dang Pomelo Collective Brand", honoring the city’s typical pomelo growing households. Through the festival, the city’s People's Committee hopes that farmers will continue preserving and developing precious and rare pomelo varieties, namely pink pomelo, guava pomelo, Thanh Tra pomelo... to create a rare source of pomelo, contributing to enriching pomelo specialties in the city. Hopefully, the "Bach Dang Pomelo Fragrance" festival in the coming years will have many precious pomelo varieties introduced and served to visitors.

The "Bach Dang Pomelo Fragrance" festival is a spring rendezvous for tourists, a place to honor the value of the pomelo brand and a place to demonstrate the typical culture of Bach Dang Island in Tan Uyen city. And this will be the return point for visitors' travel journeys when returning to Tan Uyen, the connection point with tourist destinations in Binh Duong province.

- To ensure that the festival takes place safely and joyfully under the plan, leaving a good impression on people and tourists, as of now, how has preparatory work for the festival been carried out by the city, sir?

- For preparatory work for the festival taking place as planned, the city’s People's Committee issued a decision to establish the Organization Board of the Festival and many documents directing relevant sectors and organizations to set up detailed plans with smooth cooperation. Agencies and units that are members of the festival’s Organization Board have set up plans and implemented them on schedule. Up to now, preparatory work for the festival’s material facilities has been started...

In general, the preparation work has been basically completed, waiting for the opening day of the festival at 7:00 p.m. on January 25 at Bach Dang commune’s Community Learning, Cultural and Sports Center. The opening program of the festival will be broadcast live on BTV2 channel to serve people and tourists who do not have the opportunity to come in person to watch this event.

- Thank you.

Reported by Hong Thuan-Translated by Kim Tin