inauguration of Vietnam Banh Mi Festival 2024
On the evening of May 17, 2024, the Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Association, along with several other organizations, opened the Vietnam Banh Mi Festival 2024 at Le Van Tam Park in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City.
The Vietnam Banh Mi Festival 2024 lasts for three days (from May 17 to 19) and features over 130 booths from famous brands, restaurants serving dishes with banh mi, bakeries, suppliers of ingredients and spices, and bakery equipment providers. This year’s festival includes an area where visitors can watch the banh mi-making process and enjoy tasting, highlighted by a giant banh mi display with 150 accompanying dishes.
Explaining the timing of the event, Mrs. Khanh- President of the Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Association – mentioned that the organizers aim to make the festival an annual event on March 24, the day “banh mi” was added to the Oxford dictionary. However, organizational challenges caused the festival to be held later than planned.
Also, according to Mrs. Nguyen Thi Khanh, the organizers have worked with the Ho Chi Minh City Food Safety Department to ensure strict supervision and the best quality for visitors.
Both locals & tourists attracted
On the first evening of the Vietnam Banh Mi Festival 2024 (May 17), many locals and tourists lined up to taste different types of banh mi. Specially, during certain times, some booths offered free banh mi samples, attracting large crowds of people eager to try them.
Ms. Lan, a Saigon local, shared her thoughts:
“The whole park was filled with the delicious aroma of freshly baked bread. I was impressed by the variety of banh mi available. There were traditional options like pork and pate, but also creative versions with different fillings. The free sample hours were a big hit, and I managed to try quite a few types without spending much. It was crowded, but everyone was in good spirits, enjoying the food and the atmosphere. This festival made me appreciate our banh mi even more.”
Mr. Johnson from Australia, who happened to travel in the time of the festival:
“As a tourist, I was thrilled to see the wide variety of banh mi sandwiches. The atmosphere was lively, and it was great to interact with locals who were passionate about their food. I really enjoyed the live demonstrations showing how banh mi is made – it was educational and fascinating.”
The hope to bring Banh Mi to the top of the world
Ms. Nguyễn Thị Ánh Hoa, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism, stated that Banh Mi has become a symbol of the city, representing its generosity and friendliness. Banh Mi is an essential image when introducing Ho Chi Minh City and Vietnam.
As of March 24, 2024, the word “Banh Mi” has been in the Oxford Dictionary for 13 years. The reputation of Banh Mi has continually increased, and it keeps evolving, becoming more diverse and appealing.
Recently, the food website TasteAtlas, based in Croatia, published an article on the Top 100 Sandwiches in the World, where Vietnamese Banh Mi was ranked first.
To find the best Banh Mi in Saigon, check this article:
Top 5 best Banh Mi in Saigon
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