St. Paul's Hmong New Year Celebration makes big return after COVID hiatus
ST. PAUL, Minn. – There were people everywhere at the St. Paul RiverCentre Sunday, all celebrating the Hmong New Year.
"Very overwhelming but in a good way. We did not expect so many people to be waiting outside waiting to get into our event," said Kyarii Ly, with the United Hmong Family, the organization that runs this celebration.
The two-day Hmong New Year celebration is on pace to see well over 35,000 people.
"We really appreciate the support, everyone coming together again after two years of not having this. It's been very hectic, but we're rolling with the punches and a lot of good days," said Ly.
COVID kept it away for two years. Now it's back, and so is the dance competition.
"Unbelievable seeing how many people are here competing and just being here," said Veronica Yang, competing for the first time at the Hmong New Year. "All the vendors, it's so crowded. It has never been like this before."
For dozens of small business owners, it was a chance to get in front of thousands of people in a special atmosphere.
"See family, hang out with friends, you know, kids can go around, they don't have to be afraid of, you know, getting lost or anything," said Venla Vang, a vendor who sold out nearly her entire inventory on the first day of the event. "It's just like a big family hangout again."
Minnesota has the largest concentration of Hmong population in the United States.
"Unfortunately we don't have a country. You know, we don't have a family that we can go back to, so here, we do this event here for the people so that we can come together and have something for us Hmong people," said Ly.
