Director Trần Thế Thuận emphasised that developing reading culture remains central to municipal policy, citing established initiatives including Reading Culture Ambassadors, community reading spaces, and mobile library services.
The 2026 Lunar New Year Book Street Festival officially commenced on 15 February in Ho Chi Minh City, marking its sixteenth edition with an unprecedented multi-location expansion designed to broaden accessibility following recent administrative boundary reorganisation.
Festival Scope and Organisation
The opening ceremony took place at the intersection of Nguyễn Huệ and Lê Lợi streets in Saigon Ward, with simultaneous activations at New City Park and the Revolutionary Tradition House – a first in the festival’s history.
Organised by the municipal Department of Culture and Sports in coordination with Hồ Chí Minh City Radio and Television, the event runs until 22 February (the sixth day of the Lunar New Year).
Publishing Industry Participation
More than twenty leading publishers and bookstores have established presence, including major houses such as Trẻ (Youth) Publishing House and Phương Nam Book City.
Curatorial and Technological Innovations
The 2026 programme demonstrates significant investment in heritage preservation and digital integration. The “Bamboo Forest Telling Stories” installation serves as the central curatorial motif, incorporating eight thematic book pillars.
Notable archival presentations include the Đồ Vương Hương Chữ exhibition featuring pre-1945 hand-printed editions on Đồ (poonah) paper, including the 1942 Collection of Literature and Paintings Commemorating Nguyễn Du with woodblock prints by celebrated Indochinese artists Nguyễn Gia Trí, Tô Ngọc Vân, and Trần Văn Cẩn.
Technological implementation features prominently this year, with AI-powered smart bookshelves integrating ChatGPT functionality for personalised recommendations, augmented reality city models, and dedicated zones for digital library exploration.
Community Engagement and Cultural Programming
The festival incorporates over eighty distinct activities, including fifteen stage programmes, twenty thematic exhibitions, and more than thirty workshops.
The “Compassionate Book ATM” model enables visitors to donate and receive complimentary volumes, reinforcing the tradition of presenting books as Lunar New Year gifts.
Children’s programming includes STEM gardens, storytelling sessions, and interactive folk games, whilst the Bình Dương Ward location introduces a cultural industry exhibition zone featuring the Việt Nam Design Gallery and copyrighted indigenous heritage products.
The View From The Beach
Director Trần Thế Thuận emphasised that developing reading culture remains central to municipal policy, citing established initiatives including Reading Culture Ambassadors, community reading spaces, and mobile library services.
The 2026 expansion reflects the city’s ambition to democratise access to literary resources whilst positioning publishing and cultural industries within broader economic development frameworks.
What’s not to like?
This post first appeared in the TNPS LinkedIn newsfeed.
