2nd HO CHI MINH CITY INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL “HOZO” 2022

November 11, 2022

2nd HO CHI MINH CITY HOT AIR BALLOON FESTIVAL

VIETNAM AND THE WORLD SHINING BRIGHT

Ho Chi Minh City, November 11, 2022 — The second season of the Ho Chi Minh City International Music Festival – “HOZO” 2022, in conjunction with the 2nd Ho Chi Minh City Hot Air Balloon Festival, will take place over four days from December 8 to 11, 2022, at two venues: Nguyen Hue Walking Street (District 1) and Thu Thiem 2 Bridge Park (Thu Duc City).

This significant cultural event of the year is being realized through the active and close collaboration of the Department of Culture and Sports, the Department of Tourism, the Thu Duc City People’s Committee, and related entities. This event stands out not only for its organizational scale but also for its unique festival services compared to previous entertainment events. The goal is to invest in developing the cultural industry, establishing a new cultural destination, and boosting tourism for Ho Chi Minh City.

The festival will run daily from 8:00 AM to 11:00 PM, featuring a variety of activities along Nguyen Hue Walking Street and throughout the Thu Thiem 2 Bridge Park area for direct participants. HOZO Metaverse is the third “location” of the festival, allowing remote attendees to engage in the virtual HOZO universe through online platforms.

The Ho Chi Minh City International Music Festival – “HOZO” 2022, combined with the 2nd Ho Chi Minh City Hot Air Balloon Festival, offers a new and unique “festival within a festival” model. It will kick off with the largest hot air balloon event in Vietnam on December 8. The city center will be illuminated with colorful hot air balloons, offering free entry for city residents to enjoy, take photos, and experience the city from above.

The opening day will feature a special music show for children, with participation from a Grammy-nominated children’s music artist from the USA and various Vietnamese children’s music bands. Subsequent days will include music performances, camping, food streets, an art zone for artists to create installation art, daytime art classes for the community, and numerous activities and physical experiences for children and families.

A notable highlight of the Ho Chi Minh City International Music Festival – “HOZO” 2022 is the HOZO TALENT CONTEST, a search for talented young Vietnamese music groups, along with in-depth seminars on the post-COVID music industry, international music integration, music and technology, and children’s music—a much-needed and currently scarce area—with representatives from global corporations such as Sony Music, Universal Music, Yamaha Music, and TikTok. The festival will also feature the Cultural and Entertainment Industry Exhibition on Nguyen Hue Walking Street.

The “lineup” for “HOZO 2022” will include artists from the USA, South Korea, the UK, France, Spain, India, alongside Vietnamese stars like Dong Nhi, Van Mai Huong, Uyen Linh, Bich Phuong, Vu Cat Tuong, Ngot, Unlimited, and the Vietnam All Stars Band, featuring top musicians and producers such as Anh Quan, Hoai Sa, Duc Tri, Vo Thien Thanh, Le Thanh Tam, Quoc Binh, and Hong Kien. For the first time, two virtual singers, Michau and Damsan, developed by multimedia artists and programmers from Fansouls Entertainment, will be introduced. Even though this is only the second edition, it has become a tradition for “HOZO” to feature world-renowned artists with multiple Grammy awards and nominations.

“At the 2nd Ho Chi Minh City International Music Festival – “HOZO” 2022, combined with the 2nd Ho Chi Minh City Hot Air Balloon Festival, we are determined to persist in building a cultural industry and creating a unique cultural brand for the city. Through this international music festival, the city aims to spread positive, bright, and civilized messages to connect positive energy between countries worldwide,” shared NSUT Nguyen Thi Thanh Thuy, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture and Sports, the entity directly responsible for the festival.

Art Director of the festival, Musician Huy Tuan, said: “We are delighted to see a strong resurgence. The biggest desire of the city and the organizing team is to bring more joy to the city’s people, making the world brighter together. HOZO is gradually establishing itself as a unique, internationally-scaled cultural address. From a professional perspective, the HOZO music festival is contributing to enhancing the musical and artistic aesthetics not only for the public but also for industry professionals to exchange and learn.”

Speaking about the event, Ms. Nguyen Cam Tu, Director of the Tourism Promotion Center, affirmed: “This festival not only brings a new breath of life to the city’s residents but also holds a strong attraction for domestic and international tourists. Millions of visitors during the Tourism Week will have the opportunity to experience vibrant musical, sports, and cultural activities, blending with the new dynamic atmosphere of the city. December has truly become a month of impressive events for tourists. The tourism industry expects these events to be important highlights, encouraging tourists to return to the city in subsequent years, contributing positively to sustainable tourism development.”

Adhering to the message “More Music, Less Plastic” of the 2nd Ho Chi Minh City International Music Festival – “HOZO” 2022, this major cultural event continues to advocate for sustainable development, environmental protection, and reducing plastic waste.

The opening night of the festival will be broadcast live on HTV. Subsequent performances will be recorded and aired on HTV after the festival. Ticket information will be officially announced on the website https://hozomusicfestival.com on November 15, 2022.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

The 2nd Ho Chi Minh City International Music Festival – “HOZO” 2022, combined with the 2nd Ho Chi Minh City Hot Air Balloon Festival, is one of the standout cultural and tourism events of the year, part of Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Week from December 5-11, 2022. It aims to create events around introducing new and attractive destinations, sites being exploited for tours for the first time, and end-of-year tourism product promotions and incentives, contributing to enhancing the destination’s status, increasing tourists’ length of stay and spending in Ho Chi Minh City.

Hot Air Balloon Festival Activities:

• Daily flight times: 06:00 – 09:00 and 16:00 – 18:00 (weather permitting).

• “Night of Lanterns”: 19:00 on December 11, 2022, featuring artistic performances and hot air balloons.

OTHER INFORMATION:

• Official name of the festival in 2022: 2nd Ho Chi Minh City International Music Festival – “HOZO” 2022 combined with the 2nd Ho Chi Minh City Hot Air Balloon Festival

• International name: HCMC 2nd International Music and Hot Air Balloon Festivals 2022

• Organized by: HCMC Organizing Committee for Major Celebrations

• Main organizers:

• 2nd Ho Chi Minh City International Music Festival – “HOZO” 2022: Led by the Department of Culture and Sports in coordination with related units

• 2nd Ho Chi Minh City Hot Air Balloon Festival: Led by the Department of Tourism in coordination with related units

• Executing units:

• 2nd Ho Chi Minh City International Music Festival – “HOZO” 2022: Ho Chi Minh City Light Music Center in collaboration with Vietfest Joint Stock Company

• 2nd Ho Chi Minh City Hot Air Balloon Festival: Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Promotion Center in collaboration with Peak Event Joint Stock Company

WEBSITES AND SOCIAL MEDIA:

• Website: http://www.hozomusicfestival.com

• Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/hozofestival

• Instagram: https://instagram.com/hozo_musicfestival

• TikTok: http://www.tiktok.com/@hozofestival

• Facebook Page for Hot Air Balloon Festival: https://www.facebook.com/visitvibranthochiminhcity

• Instagram for Hot Air Balloon Festival: https://www.instagram.com/visit.hochiminhcity

• Zalo: https://zalo.me/1670779870083194628

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4UlG4HRtGJfWJFoxToBiGg

MEDIA CONTACT:

• Mrs. Do Hoa

Phone: 097-956-1919

Email: hoado@vietfest.vn