Many remember the lives lost as Hmong refugees fled Laos in 1975<\/a>, endured dangerous months in Thai camps, faced the challenges of resettling in the U.S., arriving as strangers in a country they helped during the American Secret War<\/a>.<\/p>\n In the U.S., Hmong communities have reimagined the New Year celebration, blending traditional dances in hand-embroidered attire with authentic Hmong cuisine and cultural ceremonies.\u00a0<\/p>\n This centuries-old tradition<\/a>, rooted in Southeast Asia, originally marked the harvest season and a time of gratitude, renewal, and family unity, and today it continues as a vibrant expression of Hmong culture and community. Today, it continues as a vibrant expression of Hmong culture and community.<\/p>\n \u201cIt takes your memory back,\u201d Toulu Thao, CEO and president of The Hmong, Inc. said. \u201cSadness because of what you went through, but also happiness, saying, \u2018Wow, gosh, we made it here.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Never miss the top stories in Fresno \u2014 sign up for our free, daily newsletter.<\/p>\n The largest Hmong New Year celebration<\/a> in the U.S. happens every year at the Fresno County Fairgrounds. The event has previously attracted over 100,000 attendees from Minnesota, Utah, and across California in a single year. Organized by Hmong Inc., this year\u2019s celebration will take place daily Dec. 26 to 29.<\/p>\n While tens of thousands of people will flock to the region\u2019s largest Hmong New Year celebration, smaller, community-based events throughout the season play an equally important role in sustaining cultural traditions.<\/p>\n Large and small celebrations help Hmong communities honor their heritage while passing it on to younger generations in Fresno and beyond.<\/p>\n No matter what\u2019s happening in Sacramento or Washington, we will continue to do what we\u2019ve always done: hold our local officials accountable and report the stories that shape daily life in Fresno. <\/p>\n Become a monthly member today during our crucial end-of-year campaign so that we can continue to tell hyperlocal stories you won’t find anywhere else. All donations are matched through December 31.<\/p>\n A celebration of survival\u00a0<\/p>\n For Thao, the milestone carries a swirl of emotion. It is \u201ca sensational moment,\u201d he said, \u201cthat brings happiness and tears at the same time.\u201d<\/p>\n Thao remembers the hardships of Hmong people\u2019s resettlement during the first years: unexplained deaths among new arrivals, youth insecurity, and a rise in suicides. He recalls gang violence among young people searching for a place to belong \u2014 \u201cnot by choice,\u201d he said, but a reaction to a community that wasn\u2019t yet understood or embraced.<\/p>\n While those memories still weigh heavily for many Hmong people, Thao says celebrations in Fresno today reflect a stronger sense of collaboration and demonstrate the Hmong community\u2019s\u00a0essential place in the city\u2019s identity.<\/p>\n This year\u2019s New Year celebration honors both the hardships and the achievements of the community. Inside the Fresno Fairground\u2019s Commerce Building, a multimedia exhibition curated by artist Lar Yang called Hmongstory Legacy Project<\/a> walks visitors through stages of Hmong history \u2014 from war, to resettlement, to present-day America.\u00a0<\/p>\n Elsewhere, DJs will mix Hmong, Lao, and English music daily. Organizers are also debuting a new Mrs. Hmong USA pageant to celebrate contributions of older Hmong women. Nighttime events will feature bands flown in from Minnesota and Colorado, continuing the festivities after the fairgrounds close each day.<\/p>\n More than anything, Thao hopes attendees, Hmong and non-Hmong alike, will walk away seeing this not just as a cultural festival, but as a shared American story.<\/p>\n \u201cThis celebration may have originated by Hmong people,\u201d Thao said. \u201cBut we are American.\u201d<\/p>\n The rise of Hmong dance competitions in Fresno<\/p>\n For the first time, the Hmong New Year dance competition at the Fresno Fairgrounds\u2019 celebration is expanding to include three divisions: mini, junior and senior. By introducing a mini category for dancers as young as 5, organizers hope to spark interest early and help children feel that they belong in the heart of the celebration.<\/p>\n \u201cThese kids nowadays are extremely talented,\u201d said Rocky Vang, a dance studio director and the competition\u2019s dance coordinator with The Hmong, Inc. \u201cThey pick things very quick, and they\u2019re so passionate about dance. They deserve a fair chance to compete too.\u201d<\/p>\n As a longtime coach, Vang noticed that younger dancers were often grouped with teens several years older. Creating a separate division, he added, allows the youngest performers \u201cto come out, experience competition, and showcase what they\u2019ve worked on all year long.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBeing someone who teaches the culture, to preserve it, it definitely means so much to me,\u201d Vang said. \u201cI\u2019m teaching my kids, not only dance, but I\u2019m teaching them the culture as well.\u201d<\/p>\n That yearlong effort is no exaggeration. Many studios begin enrollment in late winter and start preparing competition routines in March. Dancers learn techniques, formations, stamina and multiple sets of choreography while also performing at community events.\u00a0<\/p>\n By fall, Vang said, \u201ceverything gets serious,\u201d with teams finalizing costumes and polishing their routines for a packed competition season. Fresno, as the final New Year celebration of the year, is the highlight.<\/p>\n The surge in dance participation over the past three years has pushed organizers to expand.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cHmong dance kind of died down for a little bit,\u201d Vang said, noting that it lacked parental support and was seen as just a hobby. After the pandemic, everything shifted. \u201cEveryone wanted to do something again,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n TikTok helped fuel interest as dancers recorded performances and connected with other teams online. Meanwhile, former dancers became coaches and parents embraced dance as a real sport.\u00a0<\/p>\n This year\u2019s competition features 50 teams \u2014 12 mini, 23 junior and 15 senior \u2014 many traveling from major Hmong communities in Wisconsin and Minnesota.<\/p>\n \u201cOur Hmong dance community, we definitely bring the crowd,\u201d Vang said. \u201cWhen one dance group shows up, everybody shows up.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n The competition, he added, brings some of the loudest and most excited audiences of the entire New Year celebration.<\/p>\n For Vang, the significance of the moment is deeply personal as his grandparents and parents lived through refugee camps in Thailand before resettling.<\/p>\n \u201cOur people have come such a long way,\u201d Vang said. \u201cNot a lot of people know who the Hmong are or what we went through. But this year, we\u2019re celebrating 50 years and 50 dance teams are taking the stage.\u201d<\/p>\n Smaller gatherings help pass on traditions <\/p>\n At Yosemite Middle School in southeast Fresno, students and families gathered for the school\u2019s third annual Hmong New Year celebration on Dec. 6, a day featuring dance groups, singing, loso line dancing, a fashion show, musical chairs, and more than 20 local vendors.<\/p>\n The event was primarily organized by arts media teacher Ger Thor, who sees it as a \u201ccommunity project\u201d that encourages diversity on campus and gives students a chance to share and learn about culture in their own neighborhood. This year, he said, they expanded with more performances and vendors to help \u201cstrengthen social bonds among families.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s really about uniting with each other,\u201d Thor said. \u201cStudents see their culture celebrated at school, it builds socialism, and everyone is welcome to learn alongside them.\u201d<\/p>\n School counselor Steven Lee helps support the event and has heard from parents who appreciate having a space that feels more intimate and accessible. Some families, Lee said, choose not to attend the large fairgrounds celebration because they find the crowds overwhelming and worry about bringing younger children.\u00a0<\/p>\n Lee said these smaller celebrations help build community at a scale that feels comfortable, allowing families to show up, connect with others they recognize from the neighborhood, and still celebrate Hmong culture.<\/p>\n Among the vendors was Vam Moua<\/a>, owner of his Muaj Tiag collection<\/a>, returning for his second year. Moua, who is based in Los Angeles, makes the drive north because Thor, a friend he met years ago in Long Beach, invites him to participate.<\/p>\n Moua sells modern-style Hmong art prints, clothing, books, buttons, and other merchandise. He sees his art as a way to bridge generations, blending contemporary styles with cultural identity to reach Hmong youth.<\/p>\n Growing up, Moua dreamed of becoming an animator but didn\u2019t see many Hmong artists to look up to. A family friend inspired him to pursue an art career, and now he hopes to be that inspiration for others.<\/p>\n \u201cYou want to be that bridge,\u201d Moua said, \u201cto give them a chance to see themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n Know before you go<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_9080.jpg\")
Children playing on claw machines during Yosemite Middle School\u2019s Hmong New Year celebration. Gisselle Medina | Fresnoland<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_9077.jpg\")
Vam Moua selling his art at Yosemite Middle School on December 6. Gisselle Medina | Fresnoland<\/p>\n