Many entertaining activities in big cities around the country promise to give locals and visitors a remarkable four-day holiday, starting on April 27.

In Ho Chi Minh City, fireworks will lighten up the sky on the Reunification Day. The fireworks display will take place at 9pm to 9:15pm at Thu Thiem Tunnel area in District 2 and Dam Sen Park in District 11.

English singer Lee Kirby, widely known in the country for his singing of Vietnamese songs, especially Trinh Cong Son’s music, will join local veteran singer Anh Tuyet in a 2-night concert on April 27 and 28 before touring to America.

The singer from UK will sing 10 hits including “Dem Thay Ta La Thac Do” (One Night I dream I’m A Waterfall) by Trinh Cong Son, “Chi Toi” (My Siter) and “Giac Mo Chapi” (Chapi Dream) by Tran Tien and “Oi Que Toi” (My Homeland) by Le Minh Son.

The concert will take place at ATB music lounge at 197/4 Nguyen Van Troi in Phu Nhuan District.

Paintings, photos and documentaries are also exhibited for people to recall memories of the historical moments in wars on the Reunification Day.

An exhibition showcasing 222 sketch paintings drawn on many kinds of materials by painters who attended the resistance war against America is being held for that reason.

The event will take place at HCMC University of Fine Arts at 5 Phan Dang Luu Street in Binh Thanh District until the end of April 30.

Two exhibitions which will run until May 10 at two parks in downtown area also add more activities to the celebration. 220 color and black and white photos depicting the war as well as featuring the achievement of Vietnam since 1975 are on display at District 1’s Lam Son Park in the exhibition titled “Dat Nuoc Tron Niem Vui.” Elsewhere, another photo exhibition named “Mien Nam Giau Dep Anh Hung” is being held at Chi Lang Park on Dong Khoi Street also in District 1.

Those who are interested in antiques will have the chance to enjoy an exhibition titled “Southeast Asian antiques”.

Meanwhile, many restaurants around the city also offer special programs for diners to enjoy their holiday.

In Hanoi, a screening of Romanian movies on April 29 at 22 Hai Ba Trung Street will open the entertaining activities of this holiday.

Hosted by well-known film director Phan Dang Di, the event titled “Eastern European’s Cinematography Today” will include a talk about Eastern European’s cinematography as well as an introduction of Cristian Mungiu’s “4 Months 3 Weeks & 2 Days” which won the Palme d'Or award at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival.

For music fans, they can choose to celebrate the event at the monthly music show “Music Face”.

Themed “O Hai Dau Noi Nho” (At Two Ends of Longing) this month’s concert will celebrate the national holiday with songs honoring soldiers in the war performed by local renowned singers, including People’s Artists Quang Tho, Thanh Thanh Hien, Trong Tan, Tan Nhan and Phuong Nga.

The show will be held at 8pm at Hanoi Opera House at 1 Trang Tien Street on April 29.
In addition, exhibitions will also take place around the capital city during the holiday.

Coming to the exhibition entitled “Sac Mau Vung Cao” (The Colour of Mountainous Region), visitors will have a chance to enjoy the beauty of Vietnam’s landscapes and ethnic groups of the northern mountainous region.

The exhibition is being organized at 45 Trang Tien Street until May 1 by the Vietnam News Agency to celebrate the liberation of South Vietnam (April 30).

Elsewhere in the country, many activities are also being held to celebrate the occasion.

On a bigger scale than in Saigon, fireworks will blossom in the 2012 Danang International Fireworks Festival that will take place on April 29-30.

This year’s festival will feature the competition of 5 teams from Canada, China, France, Italy and Vietnam.

Also, the coastal central city of Nha Trang has just launched its hot-air balloon service, offering tourists chances to enjoy a panoramic view of the city from the sky.