When Da Lat Tells Stories Through Flowers
The 8th Da Lat Flower Festival (2019) left its mark not only through vibrant floral displays around Xuan Huong Lake but also through the combination of flowers with art, architecture, and urban life. From floating flower rafts on the lake to murals at Doc Nha Lang, that flower festival season presented a Da Lat that was both familiar and new, where flowers became part of the memories and stories reflecting the people and the identity of the highlands.
Each day, a story told through flowers in the highlands
.png)
In late December 2019, amidst the chill of the mountain town, Xuan Huong Lake glowed with the floral colors of the festival season. On the water's surface, floating flower rafts stood out against the surrounding greenery. Along the lakeside, miniature floral displays were arranged beside familiar trees and pathways. Residents and tourists strolled leisurely, admiring flowers, taking photos, and enjoying the atmosphere as Da Lat entered the festive season.
Taking place from December 20 to 24, 2019, under the theme "Da Lat and Flowers," the 8th Da Lat Flower Festival continued to honor the beauty of flowers, the art of flower growing, and those who had contributed to building the Da Lat flower brand. The novel feature of this festival season was the way flowers were integrated into the natural landscape and public spaces, allowing residents and visitors to admire them amid the rhythm of everyday life.
Around Xuan Huong Lake, 13 floral displays created by member organizations of the Da Lat Flower Association formed vivid patches of color. Notably, five flower rafts on the lake, along with the "A Flower Species Each Day" program and the "Tulip on the Lake" display, offered visitors new experiences. Distinctive flowers such as roses, lilies, lisianthus, chrysanthemums, and orchids were introduced in succession, enriching the story of Da Lat's beauty and flower-growing tradition.
Floral decorations also added vibrant colors to major roads and central streets. Flowers were present beside buildings, along pathways, and amidst the flow of passersby, bringing the festival atmosphere closer to daily life; this combination created the distinct character of the 2019 festival.
When art steps into old streets
Within the framework of the 8th Da Lat Flower Festival, the program "Pho Ben Doi 2019 – Entering the Realm of Art" transformed the slope connecting Truong Cong Dinh Street and Phan Dinh Phung Street into a unique community art space.
The small slope, with its steps, roofs, and old walls—which had long been part of residents' lives—took on a new look featuring over 30 artworks by Vietnamese and international artists. Walls became canvases for artistic expression. Familiar pathways gained new places for tourists to stop, explore, and take photos. "Pho Ben Doi" was therefore not merely a place where beautiful paintings appeared. It was also an experiment in revitalizing urban space through art while suggesting ways to preserve Da Lat's distinctive character.
From floral colors to lasting cultural values
.png)
The 8th Da Lat Flower Festival further expanded visitors' experiences through Vietnam–South Korea cultural and artistic exchange activities, flower and ornamental plant exhibitions, and programs related to architecture and urban space.
Over five days, the 8th Flower Festival attracted more than 220,000 visitors for sightseeing and leisure. However, the lasting impression of the festival season did not lie solely in numbers. The flower rafts on Xuan Huong Lake, the artworks at Doc Nha Lang, and community cultural activities also suggested ways to combine festivals with landscapes, architecture, and urban life. It was another colorful and creative festival season, further promoting the appeal of Da Lat—a land of flowers, landscapes, and unique cultural values.
.png)
Flowers remain the soul of the festival. Yet what makes the 8th Festival memorable is not only the days when flowers bloomed in brilliant colors but also the way Da Lat tells its own story through floral colors.