Tết in Seattle Celebrates 30 Years of Vietnamese Lunar New Year Traditions at Seattle Center
The free, family-oriented festival welcomes the Year of the Horse, February 14 & 15
SEATTLE, WA — Celebrate three decades of culture, community, and tradition at Tết in Seattle – Vietnamese Lunar New Year, returning to Seattle Center for its 30th anniversary celebration on Saturday and Sunday, February 14 & 15, from 11 a.m.–6 p.m. The free, joyful, and multi-generational festival takes place at the Seattle Center Armory and Fisher Pavilion, welcoming the Year of the Horse with music, food, art, and hands-on cultural experiences.
Part of the Seattle Center Festál year-round series of cultural festivals, Tết in Seattle honors the cultural roots of Vietnamese Americans through the celebration of Tết, the Vietnamese Lunar New Year. The festival presents and promotes the arts, music, performances, and foods unique to Vietnam, creating a space for families, elders, youth, and visitors from across the region to come together in connection and celebration.
Festival highlights include headline performances by renowned Vietnamese singer Hồ Lệ Thu on Saturday and Trúc Linh & Trúc Lam on Sunday, alongside live entertainment throughout the weekend. Guests can enjoy six different lion dances, firecrackers, and interactive dance workshops, as well as an Áo Dài Fashion Show celebrating traditional Vietnamese dress. A kids’ Tết zone offers activities for younger festivalgoers, while the Tết in Seattle Community Art Gallery explores this year’s theme, Steadfast Warmth, in honor of the Year of the Horse.
Food is a central part of the celebration, featuring a wide selection of Vietnamese dishes from local food vendors. Attendees can take part in a food passport experience, kids’ and adult eating competitions, and a festive Bánh Tết (sticky rice cake) wrapping competition highlighting a cherished Lunar New Year tradition.
The festival also includes a health fair open to all ages, offering numerous free resources and services such as vaccines, health education, vision screenings, bone density screenings, and more.
“Tết in Seattle is a beautiful example of how sharing cultural traditions strengthens community and creates a sense of belonging,” said Heidi Jackson, Managing Artistic Director of Cultural Programs at Seattle Center. “Celebrating 30 years reflects the festival’s deep roots and its lasting impact in our region.”
About Tết History
Tết 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, 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 Tết. In every home, altars are set up to welcome ancestors with a full spread of Vietnamese dishes unique to Tết, such as bánh tết, bánh chưng, and more.
About Tết Festival
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 home to more than 30 partner organizations, including Climate Pledge Arena, KEXP, 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 serves residents and visitors of all ages year-round.
As a department of the City of Seattle and anchor of the Uptown Arts and Cultural District, Seattle Center is an inclusive destination where community comes together through arts, culture, and public life, serving residents from across Seattle and the Puget Sound region alongside visitors from around the world. In partnership with Friends of Waterfront Seattle, Seattle Center also manages the City’s new Waterfront Park, providing cultural programming, operations, and civic care along Seattle’s downtown waterfront.
Over the past three years, Seattle Center has welcomed 11 to 12 million visits annually, with the majority of visits coming from the Seattle and Puget Sound region, and is projected to reach 12.5 to 13.5 million visits in 2026. This activity generates more than $1 billion in visitor spending, contributes more than $2 billion in regional economic impact, and supports more than 18,600 jobs.
With the support of our Official Partners — Alaska Airlines, The Climate Pledge, Coors Light, Pepsi, Symetra, T-Mobile, and WaFd Bank — Seattle Center is the #1 most-visited arts and cultural destination in the Pacific Northwest. www.seattlecenter.com
Contact
Madison Miller
(425)-246-5468 | madison@whyforgood.com
