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MARSHALL -- The new year is an important milestone. For the Hmong community in Minnesota, it's also a time to celebrate and share cultural traditions, said Chengzhong Vue.
On Saturday, United Hmong Southwest Minnesota will be holding Hmong New Year celebrations at the Red Baron Arena and Expo. The celebration is open to the public, and will feature cultural displays and performances, food and vendors, and even some new events.
"We wanted to bring more people to the event," Vue said.
One of the new additions to this year's celebration will be a visit by the Hmong Corvette Club. Vue said organizers were anticipating about 25 cars.
"They have a big group," he said.
Club members will cruise through Marshall on Saturday morning on their way to the Red Baron Arena and Expo, he said.
Vue said the New Year celebrations will also include performances by Hmong artists that will appeal to all generations. Planned guests include recording artist ZPX, and legendary Hmong singer Lis Toj.
At the Red Baron Arena, the New Year celebrations will have both a daytime program and evening gala. The day program starts at 9 a.m. Vue said the celebrations will include a ribbon-cutting ceremony, which helps bridge the old year and the new year.
The celebrations will include a variety of cultural activities, including traditional dancing, singing, and traditions like the ball toss game. "It's a cultural activity, that we usually do between a male and a female," during New Year celebrations, Vue said.
There will also be vendor booths that people can check out at the Red Baron Arena.
Vue said the Hmong New Year celebrations are made possible with the support of area sponsors. The Red Baron arena has also been a good location for the annual celebrations, with room for them to grow and bring more people together, Vue said.
More information on Saturday's Hmong New Year event is available on the United Hmong Southwest Minnesota website, at https://www.unitedhmongswmn.org/.