Published:  14:58 Thursday - February 09, 2017

The 2017 Da Nang International Fireworks Competition will be made into a nearly two-month festival taking place from April 29 to June 24 with assorted activities rather than a two-day competition as in previous years.

The adjustment came as an attempt by the city’s authorities to attract tourists to Da Nang and encourage them to stay longer in the city.

According to Le Quy Duong, general director of the festival, the event will be the first of its kind in Vietnam and the longest summer festival in the country, as well as the biggest firework festival in Southeast Asian region.

As a major activity of the festival, a firework contest themed “Shining Marble Mountains” will draw the participation of eight teams from Switzerland, Japan, the UK, Italy, Austria, Australia, China and Vietnam, who will perform every Saturday night. The top three teams will be selected to compete at the final night on June 24.

The competition will be held on a broader scale with the support of a floating stage and more stage effects than in previous events.

Visitors to the event can not only enjoy brilliant firework displays but can also take part in a wide range of activities held throughout the festival, including barefoot runs on sand, a cultural programme honouring the Cham people’s culture, a cuisine festival, a beer festival and assorted street carnivals.

The Da Nang City People’s Committee has directed relevant agencies to make preparations and finalise their plans of organisation in order to ensure the success of the festival. Measures have also been taken to raise public awareness of the event as well as to ensure food safety and social safety and security.