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SEATTLE, WA— For generations, Hmong families have marked the end of the harvest season by giving thanks to their ancestors and welcoming the year ahead. This November, that celebration comes to Seattle Center as Seattle Hmong New Year Festival returns for a free celebration of Hmong culture, from embroidered dress and silverwork to music, dance, and food. The festival runs 10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 14 in the Seattle Center Armory Food & Event Hall as part of Seattle Center Festál.
The festival kicks off with an opening ceremony program at 12:00pm on the Armory stage, followed by an afternoon of song and dance starting with returning dance groups, Stella Luna and Nkauj Hmoob Spokane. This year’s program will feature a special performance by an elder and an exciting segment highlighting cultural practitioners. The evening closes with a night concert with live band performances, beats from a local DJ, and four incredible guest artists: Coolaycoo, Treasure, Johnny Lo, and J.A.M.E.S.
“The Seattle Hmong New Year is unique from all other Hmong New Years throughout the country,” said Asia P. Lor, president of the Hmong Association of Washington. “Not only are we able to host our festival in the heart of the city, we welcome everyone to join and celebrate with us! Hmong New Year isn't just about celebrating the new year, it's a time for everyone to reconnect and find community.”
This year, the festival honors 50 years of Hmong culture and heritage in the United States. Cultural practitioners, local Hmong vendors, and performers will take center stage, with a vendor market offering handcrafted gifts, jewelry and more, and outdoor food vendors serving favorites like Hmong sausage. Cultural practitioners also return from last year to share their crafts and continue passing on knowledge around the Hmong heritage. Guests can admire the intricate embroidery, needlework and silverwork of traditional Hmong clothing and join in pov pob, the ball-tossing courtship tradition at the heart of every Hmong New Year celebration. Upstairs in the Lofts, a Hmong heritage exhibit will be on display.
Seattle Center Festál opens a window into the living traditions of the region’s cultural communities, each sharing its story in its own voice. At Seattle Hmong New Year, that story is told through needlework and silver, song and dance where everyone is invited to welcome the new year.
About the Hmong Association of Washington
The Hmong Association of Washington (HAW) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1983 with the mission to preserve Hmong heritage, invest in youth development, and foster community well-being. Through Seattle Hmong New Year, presented as part of Seattle Center Festál, the organization shares the music, dance, dress, food, and traditions of the Hmong community with the greater Seattle area. Learn more at HmongofWA.org.
Information on the festival is available at SeattleCenter.com and HmongofWA.org.
About Seattle Center Festál
Seattle Center Festál is a unique public program series of 25 free cultural festivals, each offering its own celebration of heritage and identity.
These community-produced events provide a range of engaging programs and activities to cultivate a deeper understanding of our region’s diversity through immersive performances, food, arts, and educational programming. Collectively, the festivals welcome approximately 400,000 visits annually, generate an estimated $30 million in economic activity, support more than 250 jobs, and engage thousands of volunteers, artists, and small business vendors.
Seattle Center Festál is presented in partnership between Seattle Center and 25 community-based organizations, with support from the City of Seattle, Seattle Center Foundation, and 4Culture's Sustained Support and Free/Reduced Access programs. Additional support for Festál 2026 is provided by 2025 charitable donations from the Snoqualmie Tribe, and ArtsFund's Community Accelerator Grant funded by Allen Family Philanthropies.
About Seattle Center — The Cultural Heart of the Pacific Northwest
Seattle Center is a 74-acre civic, arts, and cultural gathering place in the heart of Seattle and is home to more than 30 partner organizations, including Climate Pledge Arena, KEXP, Museum of Pop Culture (MOPOP), Pacific Northwest Ballet, Seattle Opera, Pacific Science Center, SIFF, and many others.
Anchored by world-class attractions, historic venues, public art, and a dynamic calendar of free and affordable events centered around the iconic International Fountain, Seattle Center brings together arts, culture, sports, and community year-round.
As a department of the City of Seattle and anchor of the Uptown Arts and Cultural District, Seattle Center serves residents from across the Puget Sound region alongside visitors from around the world.
In partnership with Friends of Waterfront Park, Seattle Center provides operations, maintenance, and public safety services for Waterfront Park, while Friends leads park experience, programming, and stewardship along Seattle’s downtown waterfront.
Seattle Center welcomes nearly 12 million visits annually, generating nearly $3.3 billion in total economic activity, supporting 19,400 jobs, and producing more than $37 million in local tax revenue for the City of Seattle.
With the support of its official partners—Alaska Airlines, The Climate Pledge, Pepsi, Symetra, T-Mobile, and WaFd Bank—Seattle Center is the most-visited arts and cultural destination in the Pacific Northwest.
CONTACT
Jordan Van Beek | jordan@whyforgood.com | 425.638.2293
