Ho Chi Minh City ready for the 2025 Vegetarian Food Festival

Mr. Nguyen Tan Viet, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Culinary Association, Head of the Festival Organizing Committee.

The event, organized by the Ho Chi Minh City Culinary Association (FBA) in collaboration with the People's Committee of Binh Phu Ward and related units, will take place from October 31 to November 4, 2025, at Binh Phu Park, Ho Chi Minh City. It is considered the largest vegetarian food festival to date, spanning over 7 hectares and expected to attract approximately 150,000 visitors over the five-day period.

With the theme “Delicious from Taste, Kind from Heart”, this year's festival will feature over 250 stalls and a buffet of more than 100 unique vegetarian dishes, representing the culinary essence of the North, Central, and South regions. Beyond showcasing delicious food, the event aims to honor Vietnamese vegetarian culinary culture while spreading the message of green, sustainable, and environmentally friendly living – values that are becoming global trends in the modern world.

According to Mr. Nguyen Tan Viet, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Culinary Association and Head of the Organizing Committee, following the success of the 2023 Vegetarian Food Festival, the 2025 edition is expanded in both scale and content, gathering numerous businesses, chefs, artisans, and reputable vegetarian brands from both domestic and international spheres. “Our long-term goal is to establish and maintain the Vegetarian Food Festival as a distinctive tourism product of Ho Chi Minh City, enriching the experience for visitors exploring the city,” Mr. Viet shared.

Mr. Le Vinh Thao, representative of the International Vegetarian Alliance, stated that the green culinary trend is increasingly spreading, opening up many potentials for the vegetarian food industry in the future.

This year's festival is designed under the model of a “Green Festival – Zero Waste”, with all dining utensils made from recycled or biodegradable materials. Notably, the event is accompanied by the Vietnam Foodbank Network and the GreenHero Project in the “Food Waste Recycling Day” program, guiding people on sorting and recycling waste at the source – a practical activity to build a green, clean, and beautiful living environment.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Hang, Vice Chairwoman of the People's Committee of Binh Phu Ward, emphasized that the 2025 Vegetarian Food Festival not only carries cultural and culinary values but also embodies profound humanitarian significance, encouraging the community towards a healthy lifestyle, sustainable consumption, and responsible living with the environment and society.

Besides the culinary area, the program also features experiential spaces – workshops, OCOP – Organic – Nutritional – Recycled product displays, and art – music interaction zones. A special highlight is the “Loving Kitchen – 1,000 Free Meals” activity for the underprivileged, inspiring the spirit of sharing and spreading positive energy from “kind from heart”.

An overview of the press conference.

Vegetarianism – A Healthy Living Trend of the Era

Beyond cultural and religious values, vegetarian cuisine today is also recognized as a green and healthy living trend. Numerous studies indicate that a reasonable vegetarian diet helps reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, obesity, and cancer. A report by the National Institute of Nutrition of Vietnam (2024) states that those who maintain a diet rich in green vegetables, whole grains, and limited animal protein have a 25% lower rate of cardiovascular diseases compared to regular meat-eaters.

In addition to health benefits, vegetarianism also plays a significant role in environmental protection. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the livestock industry currently accounts for about 14.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions – higher than the entire transportation sector. Reducing meat consumption and increasing plant-based foods not only contributes to reducing CO₂ emissions but also helps save land and water, and preserve biodiversity.

Therefore, the 2025 Vegetarian Food Festival is not just a place to enjoy delicious food, but also an opportunity for everyone to reconsider the relationship between humans, nature, and food. Each meal choice becomes an action for health, the environment, and a more sustainable future.

Spreading the Message “Live Green – Live from the Heart”

With rich content and creative organization, the 2025 Vegetarian Food Festival promises to become a cultural – tourism – culinary highlight in Ho Chi Minh City's year-end festival season. It is not only a gathering place for vegetarian food lovers but also a space for the community to come together towards positive values: vegetarianism not only for “healthy body” but also for a healthy mind and a healthy earth.

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