Lithesome: Miss Viet Nam 2014 competitors in an ao dai performance contest. The second Ao Dai Festival will open in HCM City's Dam Sen Cultural Park in District 11 on March 7. — Photo vnexpress.net

HCMCITY (VNS)— A beauty contest to highlight women wearing ao dai (Vietnamese traditional long dresses) will open the second Ao Dai Festival in HCM City's Dam Sen Cultural Park in District 11 on March 7.

The Charming Ao Dai contest will attract women aged 15 to 35 who will demonstrate their music and dance skills while wearing ao dai.

The final night will be held on March 8 to celebrate international Women' Day. Finalists will wear designs from top fashion designers such as Si Hoang, Vo Viet Chung and Thuan Viet.

The contest is one of many cultural and art activities of the annual Ao Dai Festival, organised by the city's Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

This year, the festival's theme is "HCM City-The city of ao dai", aiming to honour and promote traditional cultural values as well as the beauty and grace of the ao dai, which has become the symbol of feminine beauty in Viet Nam.

More than 40 garment and textile companies and fashion houses have signed to join the two-day festival.

Ao dai collections for the workplace as well as ceremonies and festivals will be displayed. Designs of different periods will be worn by top models on the catwalk.

A contest on designing ao dai and a photo exhibition on women in ao dai will also be held.

Last year, the festival attracted more than 50,000 foreign and local visitors. — VNS