Cities ready to welcome 2014   A firework show in Ho Chi Minh City. File photo   The UNESCO-recognized Hoi An City looks sparkling at night.Tuoi Tre   Yougn girls excitedly pose with flower decoration in Da Lat within the framework of the 2013 Da Lat Culture and Tourism Week from December 27 to 31, 2013.TUOI TRE/MAI VINH   Tourists pose with street decoration in Da Lat within the framework of the 2013 Da Lat Culture and Tourism Week from December 27 to 31, 2013. TUOI TRE/MAI VINH Major cities across the country are ready to welcome 2014. Tuoitrenews lists the main events held to celebrate the new year. Hanoi - A New Year’s Eve countdown party will take place at Hanoi Rock City at 9pm on December 31. The event will feature performances including DJs Axon and Pandrava and bands So Good Fusion and Hi-Jinks. The venue is at 27/52 To Ngoc Van Street in Tay Ho District. - American alternative folk musician Shane Palko will also play a show at 8pm on January 3, 2014 at Hanoi Social Club to celebrate the occasion. The club is at 6 Hoi Vu Street. - Vietnam National Opera and Ballet will give a New Year Concert at 8pm on January 14, 2014 under the baton of conductor Le Phi Phi. Piano soloists Irina Bui and Ylan Bui will also share the stage. The artist will perform works by renowned composers including Mozart, Mendelssohn, Tchaikovsky, and Offenbach. The show will be at the Hanoi Opera House at 1 Trang Tien Street. Tickets cost from VND200,000 (US$9.43) to VND500,000 (US$23.58). Ho Chi Minh City - The city will hold an impressive firework show at midnight on December 31. The 15-minute show will be held at the front end of the Saigon River tunnel in District 2 and Dam Sen Park in District 11. - The “Book Street Festival” will take place on Mac Thi Buoi, Nguyen Hue, and Ngo Duc Ke streets in District 1 from January 28, 2014 to February 3. - The city’s Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism is organizing a festival titled “HCMC welcomes New Year 2014” at 23/9 Park in District 1. The event will feature art performances and booths showcasing cuisine from across Vietnam and other countries and will run through January 1, 2014. - Local famous singers including Ho Ngoc Ha, Ta Minh tam, Le Quyen, Phuong Linh, and Hien Thuc will perform at the “Special Music Show to Welcome the New Year” at Cau Mong Stage in District 1 on December 31 and January 1. The show will be broadcast live on HTV9. - A series of street performances, parades, laser performances, and music shows is taking place at the Crescent Lake, Phu My Hung area in District 7 to celebrate the New Year. The activities will last through December 31. - Major hotels including the Rex, the Majestic, the Sheraton, and the Pullman Saigon Center will offer buffet dinners with music and fashion performances on New Year’s Eve costing from VND1.5million (US$71) per guest. Hoi An - UNESCO-recognized Hoi An in central Quang Nam province will hold a street festival on December 31 to usher in 2014. The festival, from 8pm on December 31 to 1am on January 1, 2014, will feature music and Flamenco performances, fashion shows, street make-up booths, a lucky draw with prizes, and a countdown to midnight on Le Loi and Nguyen Thai Hoc streets. An event will also be scheduled on Chua Cau at 8am on Jan 1, 2014 to welcome and present gifts to the first person to visit the old town in the New Year. Da Lat -  The Central Highlands city of Da Lat has become a colorful city with beautiful flowers and splendid decorations to celebrate the 2013 Da Lat Culture and Tourism Week. The culture week, running through December 31, includes three main events: the 5th Flower Festival, the announcement of the 2014 Central Highlands – Da Lat National Tourism Year, and the celebration of the city’s 120th anniversary. A series of outdoor activities have been put on, including “Da Lat’s floral spaces” show, the “Da Lat flower and ornamental creatures” display, an art show themed “The breath of the jungles,” Da Lat flower market sessions along Nguyen Van Cu Street, and the Da Lat champagne and specialty street, among many other events. TUOITRENEWS