Residents of New Orleans come together at the annual Tet Festival to celebrate the lunar new year and honor their Vietnamese heritage. The festival features traditional Vietnamese dishes, activities, and live music, while also raising funds to support the local church.
New Orleans Celebrates Lunar New Year with Tet Festival
( Credit to: Nola )
New Orleans residents gathered at the annual Tet Festival to celebrate the lunar new year and honor their Vietnamese heritage. Held at the Mary Queen of Vietnam Church in Michoud, the festival is a time for people to come together and enjoy the vibrant festivities.
( Credit to: Nola )
The Tet Festival has grown over the years since the resettlement of Vietnamese refugees in southeast Louisiana in the late 1970s. It serves as a way for the second generation to reconnect with their roots and celebrate their Vietnamese culture.
During the festival, Vietnamese signature dishes take center stage, with residents volunteering their time and resources to prepare traditional foods like banh mi and pho. The festival also features various activities, including darts and face painting, to raise funds for the church.
Chris Lai, a member of the church, explains that the festival is not only a celebration of family values but also a way to support the church. The money spent and sales from the booths directly contribute to the church's mission.
Sister Mai Nguyen, a member of the Sisters of the Holy Rosary, describes the festival as a beautiful coming together of the community to support and celebrate Vietnamese culture. It is a time to be resilient and embrace the blessings of the new year.
Visitors like Ken Xu and Bree Ritz from Portland, Oregon, attended the festival to immerse themselves in Southeast Asian culture. They found the festival welcoming and familiar, resonating with their own cultural celebration of the lunar new year.
For Erin Malone, a native of New Orleans East, the festival was a tribute to her upbringing. Growing up around Vietnamese Americans and attending a school in the neighborhood, she saw the festival as an opportunity to celebrate her community and try traditional Vietnamese dishes like pho for the first time.
The Tet Festival in New Orleans is a vibrant celebration of Vietnamese culture and a reminder of the resilience and unity of the community. It is a time for people to come together, enjoy traditional foods, and embrace the spirit of the lunar new year.