Sacramento Hmong New Year Festival Runs Nov 27-29 at Cal Expo: Hmong Idol Finals and Miss Hmong California Crowning
The city of Sacramento, in Sacramento County, California, will host its annual Hmong New Year festival on November 27-29 (Friday-Sunday, Thanksgiving weekend) at Cal Expo, 1600 Exposition Blvd, Sacramento. The festival is organized by the nonprofit Sacramento Hmong New Year, Inc. (SHNY), which expects more than 40,000 attendees and over 200 vendor booths.
The three-day program is packed: the Top 15 singers in the Hmong Idol competition perform Hmong songs on November 28, with the second round and awards on November 29 and a $2,000 grand prize; the Miss Hmong California pageant carries a $10,000 grand prize, with the coronation on November 29; there are also a Hmong dance competition, a fashion designer contest, and sports tournaments in volleyball, soccer, golf, and cornhole, plus a new Pokémon event this year. The marketplace spans Hmong food, clothing and retail, art and cultural goods, and professional services.
A related service note: SHNY offers a 2026-2027 undergraduate scholarship, a one-time award of $1,000 for Hmong undergraduate students who live in Sacramento County, are enrolled full time, and hold a GPA of at least 3.0. Applications are due by November 7 (Saturday; postmarks accepted), and recipients will be announced on stage at Cal Expo on November 27. Details are on the scholarship page of the organizer's website, or by email at [email protected].
According to the organizer, there are more than 330,000 Hmong Americans in the United States, about 115,000 of them in California. Hmong New Year is the community's most important annual festival, a homecoming for families and an occasion to pass traditional dress, song, dance, and crafts to the next generation.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 加利福尼亚州 Chico 市苗族新年庆典上身着传统服饰的苗族民众（资料图）。Carol M. Highsmith 摄，美国国会图书馆藏，公共领域。 / Hmong Americans in traditional dress pose at a Hmong New Year celebration in Chico, California (file photo). By Carol M. Highsmith, Library of Congress, public domain.
