Seattle Center Festal Hosts Hmong New Year Celebration Today

Seattle Center Festál presents Hmong New Year Celebration, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m., today, Nov. 9, in Seattle Center Armory. Explore and experience the cultural roots and contemporary influences of people from the hilltops of China, Laos, and Thailand through live performances, visual arts, hands-on activities, games, and a lively marketplace. Gain insights into the customary courtship ritual of ball tossing and participate in flower cloth sessions.

The Hmong New Year Celebration helps to preserve the unique traditions and creativity of this Southeast Asian highland culture that originates in the mountains of China. The Lunar New Year is a time for the Hmong people to reflect on the past year and seek out new beginnings.

This year marks the 30th anniversary for the event producer, Hmong Association of Washington (HAW), who has programmed a wide variety of cultural stage performances including a runway showcasing traditional Hmong clothing with a twist. Mai Xiong, a female vocal soloist, and Destiny Band will travel from Minnesota, the state with the largest Hmong population in the country, to share songs on stage from their new album. The Celebration will also have activities for children, an exhibit of traditional Hmong artifacts and clothing and vendors selling Hmong food, clothing and music.

Seattle Center Festál, a series of 22 celebrations presented by community organizations with support from Seattle Center, considers themes of importance to ethnic cultures in our region, revealing their common forms of tradition and expression, while highlighting their unique contributions to the Pacific Northwest and the world.

Hmong New Year Celebration is produced in partnership with Hmong Association of Washington. For more information on Hmong New Year Celebration, visit www.hmongassociationofwa.org. Click on www.seattlecenter.com or call 206 684-7200 to learn more about Seattle Center Festál and other outstanding public programming offered at Seattle Center.

Seattle Center Festál 2013 presents a series of 22 world festivals on weekends throughout the year highlighting the distinct cultures and common threads of ethnic communities in our region through traditional and contemporary art, music, foods, youth activities, workshops and more. This collection of cultural events is produced with the generous support of Coca-Cola, The Boeing Company, T-Mobile, Wells Fargo, the Bill & MeLinda Gates Foundation, Real Networks and KUOW 94.9 Public Radio. Additional support is provided by 4Culture, Washington State Arts Commission, Seattle Center Foundation and the City of Seattle.