Saigon events in May and June 2020
After Vietnam has broadened relaxation measures since the COVID-19 lockdown, many of us can’t wait to roam the city again.
Saigon is going back to its regular public life, and you’ll find many events taking place both online and offline from Monday to Sunday.
From watching movies outdoors to attending the Gin & Rum festival, check out these 15 things to do in Saigon in May and June 2020 and plan your schedules pronto for your next adventure in the city.
Shopping
1. Pick up UNIQLO’s latest collections at its third outlet’s opening
Image credit: GoToVan
After opening its first and second stores in Ho Chi Minh City, UNIQLO will open its third store in SC VivoCity to cater to the shopping demands of District 7 residents.
You’ll be able to find the latest UT shirt collections and the Welcome Summer special collection here, which was created by Marimekko together with UNIQLO.
Clothing by UNIQLO
Image credit: UNIQLO Vietnam
Marimekko is a world-famous design house renowned for its unique use of prints and colours, while UNIQLO’s clothing is known for its simplicity and functionality.
Image credit: SC VivoCity
From 15th to 17th May, customers will be given a thermos bottle for every purchase worth VND1,499,000 (~USD63.95) and above.
Date and time: 15th May 2020, 10AM-10PM
Venue: SC VivoCity, 1058 Nguyễn Văn Linh, District 7, Ho Chi Minh City
Website
2. View and buy Saigon map-themed architectural prints
Organized by Kho Muc Studio, a local printing brand and Sài Gòn Vi Vu, a cultural education group, this event is ideal for craft lovers and history buffs.
Taking place in OHQUAO, an art and craft store, the event will showcase art prints and paper goods on the theme of Saigon maps over the centuries.
Image credit: Kho Muc Studio
Chat with fellow attendees over Saigon beers, check out a wide variety of art prints, and play mini games.
A art print made inspired by Saigon’s architecture made on Canaletto Bianco paper
Image credit: Kho Muc Studio
This is a good chance to take home a print or two to decorate any empty walls in your apartment with.
Date and time: 21st May 2020, 6PM-9PM
Venue: OHQUAO, 58/12 Phạm Ngọc Thạch Street, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City
Price: Free admission
Website
3. Hunt for preloved fashion and even furniture at Thảo Điền Flea Market
Image credit: Thao Dien Flea Market
The seasonal Thảo Điền Flea Market is back with a Minimalist Edition theme. Featuring preloved merchandise such as basic togs with streamlined silhouettes, the stalls also sell contemporary and functional furniture items that match every style and budget.
Image credit: Thao Dien Flea Market
If you feel peckish and need a place to sit down too, check out the spacious kitchen bar of Saigon Outcast which is right inside the venue for tasty bites and hearty drinks.
Vendors who wish to participate in the flea market can register via this link.
Date and time: 23rd May 2020, 12PM-7PM
Venue: Saigon Outcast, 188 Nguyễn Văn Hưởng, Thảo Điền Ward, District 2, Ho Chi Minh City
Price: Free admission
Website
Food and drink
1. Munch on tacos and chase them down with tequilas
Bánh Xèo Taco by Anan Saigon in the 2019 Saigon Taco Festival
Image credit: Anan Saigon
The annual Saigon Taco Festival is back this June and beckoning Mexican food lovers to come over for their taco fix.
Guests will be treated to a gamut of hand-crafted tacos, from chicken tacos to beef tacos to vegetarian tacos.
The 2019 winning team of the Best Vegetarian Tacos category
Image adapted from: Saigon Outcast
What makes this event fun is that the participating restaurant and stall vendors will compete for the best taco awards in different categories. Come over to try some of the finest tortillas made on the spot, and find out who the winners are this year.
Vendors who wish to participate can register here.
Venue: Saigon Outcast, 188 Nguyễn Văn Hưởng, Thảo Điền Ward, District 2, Ho Chi Minh City
Date and time: 6th June 2020, 12PM-11PM
Price: Free admission
Website
2. Have vegetarian lunches together with strangers
Image credit: Saigon Compass
Those who’re interested in sharing and learning about vegetarian food and environmental consciousness can join Saigon Compass’ weekly vegetarian luncheon that has just resumed.
If you’re a vegetarian or you’re planning to be, you can start by getting to know attendees who share common interests in health and the environment. Each attendee is to bring their own vegetarian food portions that are good enough for 1 or 2 people to share, while rice and tableware will be provided.
To register, message the admin of the Saigon Compass Facebook page here.
Date and time: 22nd May 2020, 12PM-1.30PM
Venue: Level 3, 187 Lý Tự Trọng, Bến Thành Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Price: Free with registration
Website
3. Sample the world’s gins and rums in Saigon
Image credit: Gin Festival Saigon
Drinkers in Saigon won’t want to miss the Saigon Gin & Rum Festival which will be back for its 3rd year this June. The festival showcases a wide variety of locally crafted rum and gin from different parts of the world, as well as cocktails. Guests will also be treated to a night of live music and get to pair their drinks with tasty food.
Vendors who wish to participate can register here.
Date and time: 20th June 2020, 12PM-10PM
Venue: Saigon Outcast, 188 Nguyễn Văn Hưởng, Thảo Điền Ward, District 2, Ho Chi Minh City
Price: VND30,000 (~USD1.29) per person
Website
4. Buy fresh produce from local farmers and taste brewers’ and chefs’ drinks and food
Image credit: The Hive (Villa Saigon)
In this vibrant farmers’ market, you can find a good variety of fresh, organic produce at a more affordable price than in supermarkets. Or join the urban farming workshops where you can learn about and exchange tips on gardening for city dwellers.
Image credit: The Hive (Villa Saigon)
After a relaxing shopping spree, you can enjoy craft beer tastings and tasty bites while watching chefs demonstrate their cooking skills.
Vendors who wish to participate in the market can register here.
Date and time: 13th June 2020, 2PM-7PM
Venue: The Hive Villa – Outdoor Pool, 29 Nguyen Bá Lân, Thảo Điền Ward, District 2, Ho Chi Minh City
Price: Free
Website
Entertainment
1. Boogie down to hip hop tunes at Soma Saigon
Image credit: Soma Saigon
This relaxed yet chic pub in the Thảo Điền neighborhood is a great hangout for those looking for a break from the boisterous raving venues downtown.
The night’s theme is hip hop and the party’s hosted by DJ Stav, a familiar face in Saigon’s rap scene and renowned for his upbeat jams.
Food and drinks in Soma Saigon
Image credit: Soma Saigon
Guests can expect a good selection of soul, funk music, and old-school hip hop beats that make you turn yourselves loose and rock the night out. Beers are just VND40,000 (~USD1.71) each.
Date and time: 16th May 2020, 9PM-2AM
Venue: 6 Lê Văn Miến, Thảo Điền Ward, District 2, Ho Chi Minh City
Price: Free admission
Website
2. Watch an outdoor screening of the Academy Award winning movie Ford v Ferrari
Image credit: Saigon Outcast
Finally, after the lockdown, we get to sit in a spacious outdoor space on a summer night while watching a movie in an outdoor setting with loved ones.
Head to Saigon Outcast for this outdoor screening of Ford v Ferrari, a 2019 action movie featuring Academy-award winning actor Matt Demon and Christian Bale.
The Academy Award-winning movie tells the story of a team of American engineers and designers dispatched by Henry Ford II and Lee Lacocca to build a new racing car to defeat the Ferrari racing team at the Le Mans race.
Come early to order food and drinks in the kitchen bar in the venue so you won’t go hungry while watching.
Date and time: 21st May 2020, 8PM-11PM
Venue: Saigon Outcast, 188 Nguyễn Văn Hưởng, Thảo Điền Ward, District 2, Ho Chi Minh City
Price: Free
Website
3. Share your jokes and be inspired at an open mic
Image credit: Lost Boys Hideout
Those who love the limelight and have come up with a lot of jokes during your time in COVID-19 home isolation, do not hesitate to flaunt your stuff at this compact and fun Open Mic session.
The show will begin around 8PM. You can come early and start practicing your jokes before you’re ready to make the room laugh till they pee their pants.
Dining space of Lost Boys Hideout
Image credit: Lost Boys Hideout
The best part is that every performer will get a free glass of beer. If you don’t plan to take the stage and crack people up with your gigs, you can just sit back and relax.
Date and time: 3rd June 2020, 8PM-11PM
Venue: Lost Boys Hideout, 3C Lê Văn Lương, Tân Kiểng Ward, District 7, Ho Chi Minh City
Price: Free admission
Website
Sports
1. Watch live Muay Thai tournaments
Image credit: Liên Đoàn Muay TP HCM – Ho Chi Minh City Muay Federation
The 2020 Ho Chi Minh City Championship is held from 5th to 14th June. Tournaments will feature both male and female fighters classified into weight divisions, and a fight is won in a knockout.
Muay Thai is a combat sport from Thailand, dating back to the 16th century. Fighters use fists, elbows, knees, and shins in combat. Over time, Muay Thai became popular around the world and has likewise garnered large gatherings of learners in Vietnam.
Date and time: 5th-14th June 2020, 2PM-8PM
Venue: Youth Cultural House, No.4 Phạm Ngọc Thạch, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Price: Free admission
Website
2. Learn a 30-minute home workout with an online instructor
Image adapted from: The Hive (Villa Saigon)
Keep fit at home in just half an hour with Maria Ustratova, a Les Mills-certified Group Fitness Instructor. During this home workout that you’ll learn online, you’ll pick up exercises that focus on your lower body and core such as your abs, butts, and legs. Some of the moves you can expect include squats, lunges, and dumbbell deadlifts.
Don’t worry if you’re new to home workouts, as the class is designed to match the skills and levels of all participants. All you need to prepare is a yoga mat and exercise band. Once you’ve registered your attendance, the organizer will send you a Zoom link to access the class.
Date and time: 20th May 2020, 5.30PM-6PM
Venue: Zoom Webinar
Price: Free
Website
Classes and webinars
1. Learn how to write a college application essay
Image credit: U.S. Consulate General – Ho Chi Minh City
Summer is here, and it’s a good time for students to begin working on your college application essays before senior year, especially if they’re planning to go to college overseas. To guide them through the process of writing a college application essay, the U.S Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City will organize a workshop on effective essay writing.
In the workshop, Dev Devvrat, Assistant Dean of Admissions at Reed College, will share with you tips on how to identify topics and construct our thoughts.
If you’re interested in the workshop, you can join them live on Facebook or Zoom by registering your attendance.
Date and time: 29th May 2020, 10AM-11AM
Venue: Facebook and Zoom Webinar
Price: Free
Website
2. Learn the basics of stand-up comedy
Image credit: Tùng BT
Performing stand-up comedy can be overwhelming, especially if you’re new or you have stage fright. But if you have a passion for this performing art, you should join this workshop to explore its ins and outs and give yourself a chance.
Stand-up comedy is not a new art form in Vietnam, but it’s still in its growing stages. Hosted by Tùng BT, an experienced local stand-up comedian, this is a rare workshop about stand-up comedy for Vietnamese and in the Vietnamese language.
During the workshop, attendees will learn the most basic knowledge about the art and tips on how to get over stage anxiety. Because this is a learning-by-doing art form and you never know if your gig will work out unless you get up on stage and perform, you’ll be given the chance to come up with a routine of your own and perform it on stage for your fellow attendees, who could be your very first audience.
Date and time: 23rd May 2020, 7.30AM-11.30AM
Venue: Monkey in Black – Cà Phê Nghĩ Điên Làm Chất, 698 Sư Vạn Hạnh, Ward 12, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City
Telephone: 0377 240 292
Price: VND200,000 (~USD8.52)
Website
3. Learn latte art on Zoom from home
Image credit: The Hive (Villa Saigon)
Latte lovers can learn to steam your way to a foamy and delicious cup of coffee in the comfort of home.
Led by barista Minh Trường, the founder of Grams Bean Coffee, the workshop will include basic knowledge and skills about barista work, such as basic coffee tools and equipment, how to steam milk and create beautiful foam, types of coffee, and latte art tricks.
Once you’ve registered your attendance, the organizer will send you a Zoom link to access the class.
Date and time: 29th May 2020, 6PM-7PM
Venue: Zoom Webinar
Price: Free
Website
Things to do in Saigon
If you’re always on the lookout for the fun things to do in Saigon, check out our website regularly for updates on the most anticipated events happening every month.
From flea markets to new art exhibitions to educational workshops, we’ll continue to share updates on the most exciting events dotted around the city.
Also check out:
- Vietnam’s first 12-seat railway train
- Vietnamese police to carry out roadside vehicle checks
- Vietnam reopens nightlife entertainment hubs
Cover image adapted from: Soma Saigon, Liên Đoàn Muay TP HCM – Ho Chi Minh City Muay Federation, Anan Saigon, and The Hive (Villa Saigon)
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