Locals look forward to the holiday season, and Hanoi's Old Quarter is a hive of activity as Christmas preparations get underway.

The "Bach Hoa Bo Hanh" or "Parade of Flowers" is a celebration of the Vietnamese national attire, showing young people's love and pride for the nation's cultural heritage.

Children’s art workshops offer a dynamic cultural experience, introducing young participants to the vibrant world of contemporary Vietnamese art.

Music lovers in Hanoi can attend a street music event entitled, "The Unlimited", which will be held on March 20 from 6pm onwards.

A dictionary of Nom scripts – the Chinese character-based Vietnamese script that was widely used between the 15th and 19th centuries – was introduced to the public on March 16.

According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the 4th international puppetry festival to be held in Hanoi from October 10 to 16 will attract to the participation of 15 puppet troupes from different countries.

Vietnam will once again honour the French language through a film festival and concerts to celebrate International Francophone Day, which falls on March 20.

The holding of important anniversary celebrations in 2015 must be safe, solemn and economical, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam stressed during a meeting of the National Committee for organising celebrations of major anniversaries in 2014-2015 on March 13.

The culture ministry is focusing on removing foreign-style objects from relic sites across the country, said Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Dang Thi Bich Lien at a press conference on March 12.

Singaporean conductor Kah Chun Wong will perform at concerts held by the Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra in Hanoi on the nights of March 20 and 21.

The Vietnam Fall-Winter 2015 Fashion Week is scheduled to take place this week in Hanoi, featuring 18 designers in evening shows from March 12-15.

The Vietnam National Symphony and Orchestra (VNSO)`s new season will begin on March 11-12 at the Hanoi Opera House with concerts featuring guest musician Stefan Schilli.

Hanoi, city of the rising dragon, has a history stretching back for a thousand years and the city has captured the soul of Vietnam says the introduction to a just released book entitled Hanoi Capital City by Michael Waibel.

The 2015 Ao Dai Festival opened in Ho Chi Minh City on March 7 to honour the Vietnamese traditional dress.

National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung attended the “Ve mien Quan ho” (Coming back to Quan ho land) art performance on March 7 in the northern Bac Ninh province, during which two local sites were declared special national relics.

Three emerging street dance groups from Japan will stage two free performances for the Vietnamese audience on March 14 and 15 at the Tuoi Tre (Youth) Theatre, Hanoi.

Poetry lovers from within and outside the country flocked to Van Mieu-Quoc Tu Giam (the Temple of Literature) in Hanoi on March 5 to join in National Poetry Day, the biggest poetry festival in the country, spotlighting the national sea and islands.

The Organizing Board of the Cong hien (Devotion) Music Awards 2015 announced Nominees for seven categories this year at the press conference held on March 6. My Tam and Tung Duong will vie for the “Best singer”.

The second Asian-Pacific Poetry Festival took place at the Kinh Bac Culture Centre in the River Delta province of Bac Ninh on March 4 with the participation of more than 200 authors from 43 countries.

Thousands of people across the country have flocked to Tien Du district in northern Bac Ninh province to attend the Lim festival 2015, which takes place on March 2-3.

The 2nd Asia Pacific Poetry Festival, bringing together over 650 writers, poets and translators from 40 countries and territories throughout the world, was launched on March 2 at the Hanoi Opera House.

The Prime Minister has allowed the Vietnam Television (VTV) and the State Capital Investment Corporation (SCIC) to set up a joint-stock company to invest in the building of the Vietnam TV tower project in Hanoi.

The Vietnam Art Kite Festival 2015 was held in the southern coastal city of Vung Tau on February 28 and March 1, attracting large crowds of locals and tourists.