Hmong New Year Celebration Offers Food, Music & Dance At Seattle Center

Seattle Center Festál continues with the Hmong New Year Celebration on Saturday, Nov. 5, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Seattle Center Armory Food & Event Hall. The festival, produced in partnership with Hmong Association of Washington, is free, family friendly and open to the public.

Hmong New Year Celebration is a community gathering to celebrate the end of the harvest season with traditional dances, Hmong food and adorning intricate textile clothing.

This year's focus is on Hmong arts and culture, including a robust schedule of songs, youth dance performances and musical acts, and all are invited to join the Hmong community in Seattle for a day of fun, food and performances.

"Our vision for One Seattle is a city that comes together to celebrate the many cultural identities that make it a vibrant place to live," said Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell. "The Hmong New Year Celebration highlights the cultural roots of the Hmong people and allows our entire community to experience and learn from their rich traditions."

The Hmong New Year Celebration was created to give thanks to ancestors and welcome a new beginning. Traditionally, this celebration lasts for 10 days, but has been shortened in the U.S.

"Hmong New Year Celebration is the last Festál festival of the year," said Robert Nellams, Seattle Center director. "What a wonderful way to close out 2022's cultural festivals with a celebration of Hmong customs and traditions."

The Hmong people are an ethnic group who have maintained their own language, customs and ways of life, while adopting the ways of the country in which they live because the Hmong do not have a country of their own.

The Hmong Association of WA (HAW) started in 1983 to serve the Hmong American community in Washington. Today, based on the last census in 2010, there are more than 2,400 in Washington. HAW aims to preserve and promote Hmong culture and education in the community and advocate for the Hmong people. It hopes to meet the diverse needs of Hmong refugee and immigrant communities in Washington through empowering resources.

More information on the festival is available at seattlecenter.com and hmongofwa.org.

Seattle Center Festál cultivates a deeper understanding of the cultures and ethnic diversity that contribute to the rich vibrancy of the Pacific Northwest. This unique series links together 24 free festivals presented on weekends from February to November, each with its own cultural focus, identity, and range of engaging activities. 2022 commemorates the 25th Anniversary of Festál, ushering in a new era of hybrid programs during this return to in-person events. Seattle Center Festál is where the world will gather to celebrate the people, the places, the stories, the traditions, and the next 25 years of innovation. Seattle Center Festál is produced in partnership with 24 different community groups and supported by 4Culture, City of Seattle, and Seattle Center Foundation. Festál is also part of the ArtsFund Cultural Partners Network.

Seattle Center is celebrating 60 years with all that is "New, Now, and Next" as Seattle's hub for arts, sports, community events, and cultural festivals. Originally built for the 1962 Seattle World's Fair, the dynamic 74-acre campus has transformed over the years to respond to, reflect, and represent the region's ever-broadening community. Seattle Center and its iconic International Fountain are often referred to as the "Heart of Seattle," serving as a treasured community gathering place where the local, regional, national, and international visitors come together every day. Today more than 30 cultural, educational, sports and entertainment organizations reside on the grounds, along with a diverse variety of public programs and thousands of events attracting more than 12 million visitors each year. At Seattle Center, part of Uptown Arts & Cultural District and home to Climate Pledge Arena, our purpose is to create exceptional events, experiences, and environments that delight and inspire the human spirit to build stronger communities. Activities at the Center generate $1.864 billion in business activity and $631 million in labor income.

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