I attended the second day of the the three day Hmong New Year Celebration in St. Paul today. It was a nice day and one estimate had around 50,000 people in attendance. Many of them wore the traditional clothing and jewelry, which is ornate and very beautiful.
I was privileged to particpate in the Opening Ceremony.
After that, there were speeches, singing, dancing, and the Miss Hmong MN 2015 program in one area. Another had food, games, and more entertainment. A third section had lots of vendors.
The representative from the Minnesota Historical Society said that there are 66,000 Hmong living in Minnesota, this is the largest concentration of Hmong in the world. Next year will be the fortieth anniversary of the Hmong people coming to Minnesota. MHS will open an exhibit in March that will highlight the Hmong experience.
A great way to start the New Year!