HOZO — Ho Chi Minh City International Music Festival
Free, city-scale and international — the easiest entry point into Vietnam's fast-growing festival scene.
About
HOZO — the Ho Chi Minh City International Music Festival — is Vietnam's flagship international festival: a government-backed, largely free, street-festival-scaled event held in central Ho Chi Minh City each December. Its 100-plus artists mix Vietnamese stars with acts from Japan, Korea and Europe across pop, world and electronic sounds. Because entry to the main stages is free and it sits in the walkable heart of District 1, it is the easiest possible entry point into Vietnam's fast-growing festival scene for an overseas visitor. Confirm the exact December dates and site on HOZO's official channels before you travel.
Lineup
Last year's lineup (this year not announced yet)
A 2026 HOZO lineup has not been announced. The most recent edition — HOZO City Tết Fest 2025 (27–31 Dec 2025, Saigon Riverside Park) — was led by Vietnamese stars plus international guests:
- Mỹ Tâm
- Soobin
- Đức Phúc
- Vũ Cát Tường
- Hoàng Dũng
- Suboi
- HIEUTHUHAI
- Hoàng Thùy Linh
- Caleb Kunle (Ireland), Kumbia Boruka (France), Wim (Thailand)
How foreigners buy tickets
- Main stages are free — no ticket needed. HOZO's principal stages are open to the public at no charge, so most visitors simply turn up. There is nothing to buy, no account, no local phone or ID.
- VIP zones are ticketed. If premium/VIP areas are offered, they sell through Vietnam's local platform Ticketbox (ticketbox.vn), which is English-navigable and accepts international Visa/Mastercard.
- Foreign cards work for VIP. An OTP / 3D-Secure step may appear on VIP checkout; use a verification-enabled card with a backup.
- Arrive early for the free areas. Popular headliner nights fill the free zones fast — come well before the marquee set to get a good spot.
- No real-name checks. For the free areas there is no gate-ID matching; VIP delivery is a QR e-ticket.
Getting there & staying
Route: Fly into Tan Son Nhat International Airport (SGN), ~30–45 min by Grab/taxi from central District 1. The festival footprint sits in the walkable city centre (recent editions around the Nguyen Hue / District 1 waterfront) — confirm the exact site on the official channels.
Staying: This is a pure city festival — no camping. Book any District 1 hotel and walk or take a short Grab to the stages; a festival weekend lifts central-hotel prices, so book ahead.
Bring: December is HCMC's dry season — warm and generally rain-free — so pack light, with sun protection for daytime and a power bank for a long night on your feet.
FAQ
Can foreigners attend HOZO?
Yes, easily. The main stages are free and open to everyone — no ticket, no local ID, no phone number. Just show up.
Is it really free?
The principal stages are free; only optional VIP zones are ticketed (via Ticketbox, foreign cards accepted).
Do I need to book anything in advance?
Not for the free areas. Just arrive early on big headliner nights, as the free zones fill up.
Is there camping?
No — it's a central-city festival. Stay in a District 1 hotel and walk in.
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