From March 19 to 22, 2026, at Thiên Trường Walking Street (Thiên Trường Ward, Ninh Bình Province), the program “Vietnamese Pho – A Living Heritage in the Heart of the Modern Era” will officially take place. The event promises to create a unique cultural and culinary space, contributing to the promotion of the value of Vietnamese phở in contemporary life.
The event is organized by the Ninh Bình Culinary Culture Association in coordination with various departments, agencies, and local authorities. It aims to honor phở—an iconic traditional dish of Vietnam—while affirming the position of Vietnamese cuisine in the context of international integration. It is also a meaningful activity to promote the cultural identity, people, and tourism of Ninh Bình to both domestic and international visitors.
With the theme “A Living Heritage in the Heart of the Modern Era,” the program goes beyond simply introducing a dish. It recreates the development journey of phở through different historical periods, from traditional values to creative adaptations suited to modern trends. Through this, Pho is affirmed not only as a dish but also as a cultural symbol closely tied to the spiritual life of the Vietnamese people.
The program brings together 50 booths from businesses and renowned phở brands across the country, offering distinctive stories and flavors representing the three regions of Vietnam. Throughout the four-day event, a wide range of engaging activities will be held, including: guided tours and experiential activities within culinary cultural spaces; the performance showcase “The Imprint of Vietnamese Pho”; the Festival Opening Ceremony under the theme “Vietnamese Pho – A Living Heritage in the Heart of the Modern Era”; traditional folk art performances; the “Three-Region Phở Experience”; and various networking and exchange activities among artisans and culinary experts.
A highlight of the program is the culinary showcase space “Three-Region Phở Rolls” along with live demonstrations of traditional phở preparation. These activities allow visitors to directly experience the sophistication in every stage, from selecting ingredients and preparing the broth to presentation. In addition, exchange programs with artisans under the theme “Phở Artisans - Bridging Heritage and a Global Mission” will offer authentic and insightful stories about the craft and the passion for Vietnamese phở.
The event also features experiential activities such as learning about the history of Vietnamese phở, exploring its development journey in the context of global integration, as well as business networking and promotion of culinary and tourism products. This provides opportunities for businesses in the culinary and tourism sectors to showcase their offerings, expand partnerships, and contribute to local economic development.
Beyond honoring culinary cultural values, the program is also an opportunity for Ninh Bình to reaffirm its role as an attractive destination, where distinctive cultural heritage values converge. Hosting the event at Thiên Trường Walking Street, a new cultural and tourism space of the province—further enhances its appeal and attracts a large number of residents and visitors to participate and experience.
Through “Vietnamese Pho - A Living Heritage in the Heart of the Modern Era,” Ninh Bình aims to contribute to preserving and promoting traditional culinary heritage while spreading a message of creativity and integration alongside the preservation of national identity. The event is expected to become a distinctive cultural-tourism highlight, contributing to the development of the province’s cultural industries and tourism sector in the coming time.