History of flower festivals in the world
The history of the Flower Festival was formed from the spiritual and cultural needs of local people from the association of flower lovers; initially spontaneous groups of aristocratic families with the same hobby of spending weekends off to see flowers, gradually developed into a social need; After that, countries organized a larger scale and more special nature to meet the needs of people and visitors, from which it developed into a Flower Festival that became a cultural and tourist event. The current flower festivals around the globe have a long history and are far apart in each country; The countries with the most recent organizing history of over 60 years such as the Netherlands, Australia, Colombia and Belgium... China is one of the countries that has formed and developed a cultural event to enjoy the beauty of flowers. The oldest in the world, dating back thousands of years, especially enjoying the Xiansha flower in the city of Hangzhou 1600 years ago. In Japan the word Hanami literally means "flower viewing", but it usually denotes cherry blossom viewing; The Japanese believe that the origin of the word “hanami” dates back more than 1,000 years when the nobility loved to see the beautiful cherry blossoms and they came here to see the beauty of each flower branch with a different charm that captivated people, then they got the inspiration to write. Thus, the history of enjoying flowers in Japan dates back 1000 years. Due to geographical factors on earth, each country has its own unique flora; According to experts, there are currently about 250,000 to 400,000 different species of flowers worldwide. Every year, around the world, monumental flower festivals take place to honor this mysterious beauty of nature in order to meet the global spiritual and cultural needs.
Flower Festival is a cultural and tourist event of countries with a developed flower industry; events that take place every year or every two years like the Da Lat Flower Festival in Lam Dong province, Vietnam, based on the socio-economic conditions of that locality and country. Depending on the culture, climate, characteristics of flowers and financial resources of each locality and country, flower festivals have different forms of organization, but have common purposes, which are:
The flower festival is held for the purpose of displaying and introducing flowers and ornamental plants of the locality, as well as other regions of the country and other countries in the world; and at the same time organize the most quintessential cultural and artistic events to serve the local community of residents and visitors, aiming to: (1) Attracting tourists to visit and relax, making an important contribution to promoting tourism and local economic development; (2) Improve the spirit of social management in a scientific and reasonable manner of managers to match the development trend of the times; (3) Arousing the creative spirit of scientists in researching and creating new flower varieties; (4) Creating positive labor motivation for farmers to apply technical advances to produce flowers with high yield and good quality; proactively select production flower varieties suitable to the market in order to have the highest economic efficiency; (5) Generating initiatives and strategic visions for enterprises in the organization of production, distribution and expansion of domestic and export markets; strengthen international cooperation so that the flower industry continuously develops; (6) It is an opportunity for people to live closer to nature, love plants more, especially flowers, so that they can jointly take responsibility to protect the living environment better; (7) For visitors to experience the reality, discover the work in the field, thereby sharing the difficulties and fatigue of flower growers, better understand the value of the flower industry; (8) It is an opportunity for consumers to understand the meaning of flowers, thereby viewing flowers as a precious spiritual gift and meaning to use properly in love and life; (9) Flower festival is one of the important activities that gradually change the living habits of local people, interested in buying flowers for indoor display, buying flowers to decorate the garden, contributing to embellishing the medium-sized urban area. admire flowers while beautifying the urban space and landscape, and at the same time creating a community culture of giving flowers to relatives when visiting family in the area where flowers are grown; (10) The flower festival is also an activity that honors the value of flowers and floriculture, and calls for investment in the local and national flower industry as well as promoting a positive image about that local/country culture and people with international friends with all creative activities following the development trend of the times.
Typical cherry blossoms (Sakura) from late March to mid-April in Tokyo, Japan
Through the above analysis, the Flower Festival is likened to a highly profitable, fast and sustainable smokeless industry through strongly developing the flower industry and tourism development, so now countries who have the strong development of the flower industry are effectively exploiting events related to the flower industry. Today's Flower Festival in other countries is not simply a celebration and recognition of the creative labor of flower growers as before, but the Festival organizes a series of quintessential cultural and artistic events, living in the world. to strongly develop tourism and honor the value of the flower industry and flower growers, and at the same time attract investment in the flower industry, cultural exchanges and global flower trade cooperation.
Rhododendron Festival in Gunpo City, Korea
Da Lat flowers create the brand name of the city of thousands of flowers
Thanks to its location at an altitude of 1,500 meters and surrounded by mountain ranges and flora and fauna, especially pine forests, it contrasts with the tropical monsoon climate of the Central region and the tropical savanna climate in Vietnam. In the South, Da Lat city and its vicinity have a mild and cool mountainous climate all year round. By analyzing climate conditions in Da Lat, it is difficult to find anywhere in Vietnam and in the world where natural conditions are supportive to grow the typical flowers in the continents originating from the region from temperate climates to tropical climates, they can be grown in Da Lat. Da Lat is known as a flower kingdom with endless flower gardens and thousands of makeup for the city, making daily life more beautiful and attractive to visitors throughout the four seasons. There is no place in our country that has as many flowers as in Da Lat - from tropical forest flowers to the flowers of the cold western regions. It can be said that nowhere in the country stretching over 15 North latitudes has such rich genetic resources and commercial flowers as Da Lat city, the export value of Da Lat flowers in 2019 reached 48 million USD, accounting for 75% of the flower export value of the country. In Da Lat, visitors will not find any difficulty to see the diversity and colors of flowers: the pink of apricot blossoms, multiflora rose flowers; the gentle and seductive purple color of the Purple Phoenix flower, the Forget me not flower; yellow chrysanthemum; the red color of Rose, Camellia flowers; white lily, white marigold, white chrysanthemum; orange color of rhododendron flower, pink color of camellia flower; purple yellow mixed with orange of bird from paradise flower, or multi-color of lily, butterfly orchid and hundreds of orchid species...
There is a very interesting thing in Dalat, visitors can see flowers everywhere in this city; Flowers are diverse in the streets, each street is planted with its own flowers to create highlights such as: Mai Anh Dao on Hung Vuong Street; Mimosa flowers in Mimosa Pass; Hoa Ban on Tran Phu Street, Quang Trung Street; roses planted on 3/4 street, Ho Tung Mau street, the gateway street to the inner city of Da Lat...; flowers grown in gardens and offices, businesses; decorative flowers to watch and relax for the owners of each family after working hours; decorative flowers in most restaurants and cafes; commercially grown flowers on agricultural farms. Flowers also appear as blooming in the natural forests as if they want to show off to visitors that this place has high biodiversity or flowers appear on both sides of the national highway 27, 20 and 28 corridors at the entrance to Da Lat as signaling the end of the rainy season like yellow wild sunflowers; The flower that signals the beginning of the rainy season is the Purple Phoenix. Especially, flowers are an indispensable product because tourism farm owners always invest a lot in planting, exploiting and planting flowers according to each theme to increase visitor satisfaction; Flowers have thousands of species in Dalat flower garden that nowhere else in Vietnam has, which shows that Da Lat is a flower paradise, Da Lat is a city of thousands of flowers.
Da Lat has a multi-species flower garden with a large scale and the longest history in Vietnam, this is the convergence of the most beautiful flowers of the city of thousands of flowers, built in 1966; is one of the interesting places to visit that visitors to Da Lat cannot ignore.
The history of Da Lat flower festival
In order to exploit the potential advantages of Da Lat, on the occasion of the 110th anniversary of establishment and development of Da Lat city, Lam Dong province in 2003; Lam Dong province has organized a great cultural and art event, including activities to promote, introduce and attract investment in the flower industry; This event is considered as the starting event for today's flower festivals. As a result of cultural events to celebrate Da Lat 110 years of establishment and development, Da Lat continued to organize the event of Da Lat Flower Festival 2004;
On the basis of the success of the 2004 Da Lat Flower Festival, which is considered a "rehearsal" event for Lam Dong province to continue to organize the first Dalat Flower Festival in 2005, taking place from December 10, 2005. 2005 to December 18, 2005; with the theme: Da Lat - A rendezvous with colorful flowers. The second Dalat Flower Festival took place from December 15, 2007 to December 22, 2007; with Theme: Da Lat flowers - I love you. By 2009, part of a series of events to participate in the 1000th Anniversary of Thang Long - Hanoi in 2010; Da Lat is the only city in Vietnam approved by the Prime Minister. Da Lat is a flower festival city in Decision No. 795/QD-TTg dated June 10, 2009. Decision No. 795/QD-TTg clearly states: 2010 Da Lat Flower Festival will be held in Da Lat city, Lam Dong province, associated with activities to celebrate the 1000th anniversary of Thang Long – Hanoi, participating in the exhibition of ornamental plants and flowers on the occasion of the 10th day of the 1000th anniversary of Thang Long - Hanoi. Based on the assignment of the national steering committee to celebrate the 1000th anniversary of Thang Long Hanoi in 2010, Lam Dong province organizes the third flower festival taking place from January 1, 2010 to January 4, 2010 with the theme: Da Lat - City of thousands of flowers.
Thus since 2009. Bao Loc - Lam Dong is the locality that organizes the first tea festival in Vietnam in 2006 and the second time in 2008, every 2 years in an even year, however after The Prime Minister approved Da Lat as a flower festival city in Decision No. 795/QD-TTg dated 10/6/2009, the tea festival is not organized separately but integrated into the program of Dalat flower festival including tea and silk events since 2010. This is also a mark of a 4-in-1 cultural and tourism event that aims to promote the tourism industry, flower industry, tea industry and Lam Dong silk industry in the process of international integration. The 3rd Dalat Flower Festival was held from December 1, 2009 to January 4, 2010 with the theme "Da Lat - City of a Thousand Flowers". The 4th Dalat Flower Festival took place from December 30, 2011 to January 3, 2012; with the theme "Da Lat - City of Flower Festival". The 5th Da Lat Flower Festival 2013-2014 (Combining the National Tourism Year 2014) took place from December 28, 2013 to January 2, 2014); with the theme: "Highland - Echoes of the Voice call the great thousand". The 6th Dalat Flower Festival took place from December 29, 2015 to January 2, 2016; with the theme: "Da Lat - Colorful flowers". The 7th Da Lat Flower Festival took place from December 23-27, 2017; with the theme "Da Lat flowers - Miraculous crystallization from good soil". The 8th Dalat Flower Festival takes place from December 20-24, 2019; with the theme "Da Lat and Flowers". By 2021, if there is no Covid-19 pandemic, the 9th Da Lat flower festival will normally be held at the end of 2021; However, due to the situation of the Covid-19 pandemic, the 9th Da Lat flower festival moved to 2022; The 9th flower festival has more differences than the previous 8 festivals; there are more monumental and classy programs, especially the duration of 02 months, from November 1, 2022 to the end of December 31, 2022; with the theme "Da Lat - The City of Four Seasons of Flowers". In which, it is expected to organize a special art program to announce the 9th Da Lat Flower Festival - 2022 on the evening of December 18, 2022; Art program to welcome the New Year 2023 associated with the end of the festival on the evening of December 31, 2022.
Như vậy tỉnh Lâm Đồng đến nay tổ chức thành công IX lần festival hoa Đà Lạt; mỗi festival hoa Đà Lạt cũng là dịp chỉnh trang đô thị, giới thiệu đất nước và con người Đà Lạt; tôn vinh ngành hoa và người trồng hoa; quảng bá du lịch và thu hút đầu tư ngành hoa….; thời gian tổ chức thường vào trung tuần hoặc tuần cuối tháng 12 dương lịch, và cứ 2 năm tổ chức một lần.
Thus, Lam Dong province has so far successfully organized IX Da Lat flower festivals; each Da Lat flower festival is also an opportunity to decorate the city, introduce the country and people of Da Lat; honor the flower industry and flower growers; promoting tourism and attracting investment in the flower industry….; organization time is usually in the middle of the week or the last week of December of the solar calendar, and it is held once every 2 years.
Da Lat Flower Festival is a cultural and tourism event in line with the development trend of the times
Dalat Flower Festival is an opportunity to introduce domestic and international friends about the cultural style of Da Lat people "Peaceful, elegant, hospitable"; at the same time, continue to do well the propaganda, construction and promotion associated with the effective implementation of the Code of Civilized Tourism Conduct. Attracting a large number of tourists to visit Da Lat flower more obvious than last time; at the same time, it has a positive impact on the tourism industry, always improving the service and quality of diverse tourism products to serve tourists, which is a special cultural event of national and international character in line with the trend of the times;
Each Da Lat flower festival is a condition for central investment in urban infrastructure works, urban embellishment, infrastructure upgrading to meet the needs and aspirations of people and visitors, contributing to creating a spacious urban surface for Da Lat city, Bao Loc city and districts in the province;
Through the Da Lat Flower Festival, Da Lat floriculture is honored and affirmed, invested and exploited, contributing to promoting local economic development, raising the output value of the flower, tea and silk industries to participate in the global value chain;
Besides promoting the tourism brand of Da Lat - Lam Dong and the brand of local agricultural products, Da Lat Flower Festival continues to affirm and honor the values of flowers and the flower industry of Da Lat - Lam Dong; promoting tea and silk production in Bao Loc city in particular and Lam Dong in general. Creating opportunities for organizations and individuals producing and trading local flowers, tea and silk to exchange, exchange and develop industries; is a favorable opportunity for Lam Dong province to continue to invite investors, promote trade, expand the market for specific products, local strengths according to the development trend of the times;
Each occasion of the Dalat Flower Festival attracts hundreds of thousands of domestic and foreign tourists to experience the reality, explore the farm work, thereby sharing the difficulties and fatigue of flower growers, growers and growing mulberry and raising silkworms farmers to better understand the value of the flower industry, the tea industry and the silk-weaving industry in order to stimulate the development of industries in the process of integration;
Each occasion of the Da Lat Flower Festival is also an opportunity for consumers to understand the meaning of flowers, experience the process of cultivating flowers, thereby viewing flowers as a precious spiritual gift and meaning to use correctly in their own lives. love and life; at the same time enjoy the tea flavor of the South-Central Highlands and silk products of the silk capital of Vietnam, a gift with a traditional history associated with the history of the Vietnamese people for thousands of years;
Da Lat Flower Festival continues to better implement the policy of socializing both the content, the form of organization and the investment for the festival, mobilizing the active participation of people from all walks of life and organizations, individuals, businesses inside and outside the province and attract the participation and response of the masses of people and tourists;
Da Lat Flower Festival is really an opportunity for Lam Dong province to focus on promoting investment, trade and tourism promotion; continue to promote the potential and strengths of Da Lat - Lam Dong tourism brand and the brand of local agricultural products; continue to affirm and honor the values of flowers and flower industry in Dalat; at the same time promoting tea industry, silk production industry in Bao Loc city in particular, Lam Dong province in general; create opportunities for local vegetable, flower, tea and silk makers to exchange, develop their professions. Well implement the goal of promoting Lam Dong agricultural products and tourism, especially the brand "Da Lat – Miraculous crystallization from good land" which is increasingly spreading globally;
The Flower Festival is held for the purpose of displaying and introducing flowers and ornamental plants of Da Lat, as well as other regions in the country and other countries in the world; promote and introduce the brand of B'Lao tea and Bao Loc silk; at the same time, organize the most quintessential cultural and artistic events to serve the local community of residents and visitors, so each flower festival will have many activities of national and international level according to the national and international standards and the trend of the times that all countries holding flower festivals are aiming for;
Da Lat Flower Festival is also an opportunity to do a good job of propaganda for all people of Da Lat, Bao Loc, localities in the province and tourists so that everyone can live more responsibly with the community; live closer to nature; prefer plants; especially love flowers more, so that we have the responsibility to join hands to protect the living environment better;
The event of Da Lat Flower Festival has gone through 9 times so far, really the result of the direction of the Prime Minister, Ministries, Departments and Central branches; the close attention and direction of the Provincial Party Committee, the Provincial People's Council, the Provincial People's Committee; the active and responsible participation of departments, agencies, branches and mass organizations in the province; the proactive implementation and management of specific activities of Da Lat city, Bao Loc city and districts; the response and companionship of organizations, individuals, the business community and donors; the interest and support in communication and promotion of Vietnam Television Station; The Vietnam Television Center in Ho Chi Minh City, foreign news agencies and newspapers, the central government of provinces, cities and localities have promptly introduced, promoted and updated information about the TV programs and events throughout before, during and after the festival days; The enthusiastic participation of domestic and international tourists, diplomatic delegations and international friends make an important contribution to the success of the national and international Da Lat flower festivals.
It can be said that the nine flower festivals in Dalat are a series of creative cultural and tourist events; The program of activities of each flower festival leaves many imprints, with elaborate preparation on a grand scale, lively programs always leave a deep impression in the hearts of visitors: “Innovation, Creativity , Majestic, Impressive”; Da Lat flower festival is really a cultural and tourism event, promoting the image of the country and people of Da Lat and developing tourism; On the basis of the program contents and results, it can be affirmed that Da Lat flower festival is a cultural and tourist event of national and international level in line with the trend of the times.
Dr. Pham S, Vice Chairman of Lam Dong Provincial People's Committee
