Tết Festival to Kick off Seattle Center's 25th Anniversary of Festál
The festival provides a glimpse into the rich Vietnamese culture through amazing art, food, and music, as well as age-old and contemporary cultural traditions.
By: Chloe Rabinowitz Feb. 03, 2022
Seattle Center Festál - with the theme Where the World Gathers - will kick off its 25th anniversary with Tet in Seattle, celebrating Vietnamese Lunar New Year on Feb. 12th and 13th, from noon to 6 p.m. with a series of indoor and outdoor activities for all ages at the Seattle Center Armory, Fisher Pavilion, and the International Fountain.
The free public festival returns as an in-person event following last year's virtual celebration, providing a glimpse into the rich Vietnamese culture through amazing art, food, and music, as well as age-old and contemporary cultural traditions. The engaging two-day event is produced by Tet in Seattle, a volunteer-based community organization, which honors the culture of Vietnamese and Vietnamese Americans in the Pacific Northwest.
"This festival provides our community with a great opportunity to learn more about the Vietnamese culture and traditions, and to join in the fun," said Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell. "Events like this allow us to embrace ethnic diversity and cultivate a deeper awareness, understanding and respect for the cultures that contribute to the vibrancy of our city, the region, and the world."
The opening ceremony on Saturday features an LED video program, followed by two days of programming including hands-on kids' arts and crafts, awe-inspiring lion dancing, firecrackers, photo booths, gift booths, art installations, performances, a new beer garden, and a curated áo dài fashion show - as well as free educational activity packets and "goodie" bags for kids.
Tet in Seattle also includes a comprehensive health fair (noon - 4 p.m.) robust with Vietnamese interpretive services, Hepatitis screening/vaccines, COVID booster immunizations, a mammogram van, cholesterol screening, osteoporosis screening, flu shots, reproductive education sessions, ask-a-doctor service, and free at-home COVID rapid tests.
The festival will conclude with fashion shows on Sunday evening, including a bridal fashion show and a children's fashion show.
This festival is the first in a series of festivals put on by 24 cultural organizations that Seattle Center will host over the course of 2022.
About Tet History
Tet occurs on the first day of the Lunar New Year, typically in late January or early February, and is celebrated for three to five days. During this period, families reunite and put aside the past year's struggles and pray for blessings in the year to come. Homes are cleaned, fresh clothes are donned, and streets are decorated in preparation for Tet. In every home, altars are set up to welcome ancestors with a full spread of Vietnamese dishes.
About Tet Festival
Tet in Seattle was formed by four Vietnamese organizations invested in celebrating and preserving traditional Vietnamese culture in the Seattle community. The groups hoped to host an event which would unite the Vietnamese community and introduce that community to the greater Seattle area. Observance of the Lunar New Year, Tet Nguyên Đán, presented the perfect opportunity to do so. Information on Tet in Seattle is available at https://www.tetinseattle.org/ and http://www.seattlecenter.com/events/featured-events/festal/tet-in-seattle, as well as on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.
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