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While many parts of the world are under lockdown in order to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, we’re lucky that Ho Chi Minh City is safe enough for us to roam freely. So make the most of your downtime with family and friends by engaging in the many recreational and educational activities happening in town.
Check out our top picks of events in Saigon this August.
Image credit: Saigon Outcast
Fans of the timeless trendy outfits worn by Clueless’s fashion heroines, make sure you check out the upcoming Back To School-themed Thao Dien Flea Market.
Clothes on sale at Thao Dien Flea market are usually from VND100,000-VND300,000 (~USD4.31-USD12.94), relatively cheap compared to clothes sold in shops
Image credit: Saigon Outcast
Showcasing chic school supplies that add more fun to heading to class, as well as chic schoolwear for your new year on campus, the stalls have a gamut of items that match every style and budget.
Cute stationery and knick-knacks to help motivate you to take notes
Image credit: Saigon Outcast
The flea market also features a good selection of stalls selling food and drinks, where you can sit down for a tasty brunch to recharge.
Image adapted from: Saigon Outcast
There will be about a dozen vendors joining the flea market, bringing a wide array of shopping options from preloved clothes to homegrown fashion labels from aspiring local designers.
Many come here with friends to hang out and even play some games such as bouldering or skateboarding, but if you’re here simply to browse the stalls, you’ll be able to take it all in within 30 minutes.
Date: 15 Aug 2020
Time: 12PM-7PM
Venue: Saigon Outcast, 188 Nguyen Van Huong, Thao Dien Ward, District 2, Ho Chi Minh City
Price: Free
Image credit: NO.1 MUAY CLUB
No. 1 Muay Club Fight Night will be an exciting live display of martial arts when Nguyen Tran Duy Nhat, five-time WMF Muay Thai World Champion, showcases his defensive and knock-out skills.
Nguyen Tran Duy Nhat
Image credit: NO.1 MUAY CLUB
During this event, Nguyen Tran Duy Nhat will host as well as join battles with his fellow colleagues and students, who are currently members of Ho Chi Minh City’s NO.1 MUAY CLUB and talented martial artists themselves.
Club members during training
Image credit: NO.1 MUAY CLUB
The cherry on the cake is that every attendee coming to the event, which is free, will be given a voucher worth a 1-month membership at NO.1 MUAY CLUB.
Many of the members at NO.1 MUAY CLUB are children and can take age-appropriate fitness classes
Image credit: NO.1 MUAY CLUB
You can sample their classes such as cardio sessions and kickboxing with your trial.
Date: 2 Aug 2020
Time: 4PM-7PM
Venue: District 5 Cultural Center, Ward 6, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City
Price: Free
Image credit: Ho Chi Minh City Ballet Symphony Orchestra and Opera
To celebrate the 250th birthday of Ludwig van Beethoven, the legendary German composer, the Ho Chi Minh City Ballet Symphony Orchestra And Opera (HBSO) will treat local classical music lovers to a memorable evening filled with Beethoven’s masterpieces.
The concert will feature Beethoven’s iconic Symphony No. 6 and Violin Concerto in D major, Op.61, performed by the HBSO and the talented violinist Bùi Công Duy, known as Vietnam’s “Prince of the Violin”.
Image credit: Ho Chi Minh City Ballet Symphony Orchestra and Opera
The orchestra will perform under chief conductor Lê Ha My, a young and accomplished Vietnamese conductor who graduated from Russia’s Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory and worked in different orchestras in Russia before returning to Vietnam.
Conductor Lê Ha My
Image credit: viethuong.edu.vn
Date: 22 Aug 2020
Time: 8PM-10.30PM
Venue: Saigon Municipal Opera House, Cong Truong Lam Son Street, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Ticket fee: VND300,000-VND650,000 (~USD12.94-USD28.04)
Plant-based Cambodian noodles by House of Chay
Image credit: House of Chay
Vegetarians or those looking for a healthy change of meals can have fun at the Outcast Veg Festival 2020, where you’ll be treated to a nourishing array of plant-based dishes.
Joining the festivals are some of Saigon’s most reputable vegetarian & vegan restaurants, such as Benaras, SaladStop, House of Chay, and The Green Box. Their signature dishes such as miso mushrooms, sundried tomato & olive pizza, and cheeky monkey smoothies which are all suitable for both vegans and vegetarians will be brought to the table.
A vegan Hawaiian poke by The Green Box
Image credit: The Green Box
Date: 8 Aug 2020
Time: 12AM-10PM
Venue: Saigon Outcast, 188 Nguyễn Văn Hưởng, Thảo Điền Ward, District 2, Ho Chi Minh City
Entrance fee: VND30,000 (~USD1.29)
Image adapted from: The Backyard
Thao Dien Ward, Saigon’s fabled expat hangout that is filled with bustling vibes 24/7, has amazing recreational activities all-year round.
For a day of plentiful food and dessert, an exhibition of artwork and crafts, and live entertainment here, head over to the Summer Sesh party at The Backyard in Thao Dien on 24th August.
Image adapted from: The Backyard
Try a great selection of international food and desserts served by Tippy’s Mexican Food Saigon, Union Jack’s Fish & Chips, GoDog, The Backyard, and Little Rose Bakery.
Image credit: The Backyard
Wash your food down with a variety of refreshing drinks from Fuzzy Logic Brewing, East West Brewing, Saigon Cider, and Bootleggers D2 Wine Shop & Bar.
Image adapted from: The Backyard
Adding more excitement to the party will be live music performances from The Cards, Coasts, and Nhu Nguyen, as well as comedies performed by Niall Mackay, Tony Byleveld, and JK Hobson.
Image credit: The Backyard
Those who want to be seen in their best bikini or bathing suit can even jump into the venue’s swimming pool to cool off.
The best thing about the party is to know that you’re partying for a greater cause, because all of the money earned from the tickets sold will go to the ILA Community Network Sponsorships Campaign to support local disadvantaged children.
Date: 24 Aug 2020
Time: 3PM-1AM
Venue: The Backyard, 19/46 Street, Thao Dien Ward, District 2, Ho Chi Minh City
One-time entrance fee: VND150,000 (~USD6.47)
Image credit: Saigon Outcast
Local film fans in Saigon should drop by Saigon’s Short Film Festival 2020 for the opportunity to watch filmmakers showcase their work and discover a community who share the same passion for filmmaking.
Not only will you have a memorable experience at this event, but your presence will also help to encourage the local filmmaking community and inspire more budding filmmakers to join.
Image credit: Saigon Outcast
You can submit your work via this link, which can be any type of film and less than 20 minutes, to the organizer for preliminary evaluation. The deadline for film submission is 15th August.
Candidates whose films are selected to be screened at the festival will be contacted by the organizers of the festival. Every candidate is eligible to bring their plus one over for a night of free food, drinks, and live music.
Date and time: 29 Aug 2020
Time: 7PM-10PM
Venue: Saigon Outcast, 188 Nguyen Van Huong, Thao Dien Ward, District 2, Ho Chi Minh City
Entrance fee: VND60,000 (~USD2.59)
Image credit: movieposterdb.com
Attendees can enjoy this famous comedy movie by the pool over a glass of beer or wine.
The Hangover is the first part of the Hangover Trilogy which was first released in 2009, telling the story of 3 friends emerging from a bachelor party in Las Vegas with no memory of the previous night.
As the movie unfolds, they gradually find themselves in a series of troubles linked with their forgotten revelry, including the disappearance of a friend, which they have to manage to resolve before the wedding.
Image credit: Pinterest
The movie features Grammy Award and BAFTA-award winning actor Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zachary Galifianakis, and the wildly talented comedian Ken Jeong.
Date: 7 Aug 2020
Time: 6.30PM-9PM
Venue: The Hive Villa – Outdoor Pool, 29 Nguyen Ba Lan, Thao Dien Ward, District 2, Ho Chi Minh City
Price: Free
A wedding gown by local designer Chung Thanh Phong
Image credit: Chung Thanh Phong
Fashion lovers or those on the lookout for a perfect wedding dress for your big day can drop by ELLE Wedding Art Gallery to browse the newest wedding dress trends straight from the runways.
Taking place in 2 days and in 11 separate bridal shows, ELLE Wedding Art Gallery will feature over a hundred wedding dresses from Vietnam’s most distinguished fashion designers, including Chung Thanh Phong, Thuy Nguyen, and Linh Nga Bridal.
A mermaid-shaped wedding dress by local designer Chung Thanh Phong
Image credit: Chung Thanh Phong
If you’ve ever fangirled over the mesmerizing wedding dresses worn by local celebrities such as Dong Nhi, Bao Thy, and Nha Phuong, there’s a high chance they were designed by one of the above-mentioned fashion designers and design studios.
A bride dressed in a ball-gown style wedding dress by Linh Nga Bridal
Image credit: Linh Nga Bridal
Be it minimalist silhouettes or flapper-style mini dresses, the collection will give you styling ideas to plan your wedding outfit to look beautiful in white.
Date: 1-2 Aug 2020
Time: Various timings
Venue: White Palace Hoang Van Thu, 194 Hoang Van Thu, Ward 9, Tan Binh District, Ho Chi Minh City
Price: Free
Image credit: SR Fashion Business School
Those who are keen to pursue a career in the fashion industry might want to head to the SR Fashion Business School Open Day event, where you’ll be given a guided tour of SR Fashion Business School, one of Vietnam’s first schools dedicated to fashion.
Image credit: SR Fashion Business School
At the event, you’ll also meet and mingle with the faculty who have extensive experience and accomplishments in the local fashion industry, as well as browse through the works of the students here.
A student presenting her draft designs
Image credit: SR Fashion Business School
You can ask questions regarding the courses here, as well as find out about the latest career opportunities in this industry.
Inside the school
Image credit: SR Fashion Business School
Date: 2 Aug 2020
Time: 10AM-4PM
Venue: 2F, 213A Nam Kỳ Khởi Nghĩa Street, Ward 7, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City
Price: Free
Website
Image credit: Maggie Tra
Aspiring female DJs can check out this workshop hosted by Maggie Tra, an international DJ who’s toured London, Brussels, Berlin, Hanoi, and has been a radio host on Australia’s SYS Radio and KISS FM.
Image credit: Maggie Tra
Maggie’s DJ-ing style is fused with hip-hop, soul, and R&B, and she’s keen to introduce creative turntable tips to local DJ beginners looking to thrive in this male-dominated profession.
Date: 9 Aug 2020
Time: 3PM-5.30PM
Venue: WAM Saigon, 8/19 on 49B Street, Thao Dien Ward, District 2, Ho Chi Minh City
Price: Free
Image adapted from: acadiamagic.com
In this workshop hosted by the American Center Ho Chi Minh City, attendees will be offered a thorough introduction to Acadia National Park, a magnificent yet off-the-beaten-track recreation area in the state of Maine.
Spanning 47,000 acres across Maine’s Mount Desert Island, it is home to vast rocky beaches, woodland, and glacier-scoured peaks. Its Cadillac Mountain, with an altitude of 466M, is the highest point on the US East Coast and the first place in the US to view the sunrise every day from 7th October to 6th March.
Image adapted from: acadiamagic.com
Practice your English speaking and listening skills while learning about the park, which also plays host to a wide array of wild animals, including moose, bear, whales and seabirds.
Image adapted from: acadiamagic.com
During the workshop, attendees will also join group discussions, which are tailored to intermediate-level English speakers, to further explore the history and beauty of nature in the US.
Date: 5 Aug 2020
Time: 3-4PM
Venue: Live-streamed from the US Consulate General’s Facebook page
Price: Free
Image credit: Crimson Education
The 2020 school year has officially ended for Vietnamese students, who celebrated their graduation with laughter-filled ceremonies. But the quest for learning continues for those who plan to study overseas in the US or UK next year or the year after, as working on college applications must be their top priority at the moment.
Writing a US college app essay can be overwhelming and confusing unless you are shown the ropes by those who have had experiences and know-how in the field, because it’s so different from the typical essays we write for school applications in Vietnam.
That’s why this free educational workshop by Crimson Education Group will help students gain a better understanding of how to make their college applications successful.
Attendees will be trained about what admissions officers look for in personal statements, best angles to approach both US college application essays and UK UCAS personal statements, make their personal voices stand out, and timelines for essay writing.
Date: 23 Aug 2020
Time: 2PM-5PM
Venue: Liberty Central Saigon Riverside Hotel, 17 Ton Duc Thang Street, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Price: Free
Image credit: Thanh Sơn
Hosted by non-profit charity group GIVE IT BACK, Giving Well educates about the nature of charity, the contexts of charitable activities around the world, and popular forms of charity in Vietnam. While there are stories of many individuals giving freely with their own efforts, there’s much more to learn about the world of non-profit giving, especially if you see yourself working in this field in future.
Image credit: Tu Thien Minh Tam
Attendees will also learn about the core principles of philanthropy and how to effectively conduct charitable activities individually, as a corporate organization, or with community involvement, from donating gifts to raising funds for a greater cause.
Date: 15 Aug 2020
Time: 8.30AM-11AM
Venue: Kafnu HCM – 92A Nguyen Huu Canh, Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City
Price: Free
Saigon is Vietnam’s biggest city and home to many recreational activities from weekdays to weekends.
From sports events to fashion shows to food festivals, check out our website regularly for our updates on the most exciting things to do in Saigon every month.
Also check out:
Cover image adapted from: NO.1 MUAY CLUB, Chung Thanh Phong, Saigon Outcast, and viethuong.edu.vn
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