The Year of the Dragon will be celebrated with the 19th annual San Diego Tết Festival in Mira Mesa from Friday, Feb. 16 to Saturday, Feb. 18 attracting more than 30,000 attendees as the largest Lunar New Year celebration in San Diego County. The Year of the Dragon is typically considered an auspicious year, but for Vietnamese people, it’s even more special. The Vietnamese people are the product of the marriage of Lạc Long Quân (The Dragon Lord of Lạc) and Âu Cơ, a mountain snow goddess. Vietnamese often considered themselves to be descendants of dragons and gods (con rồng cháu tiên), according to Vietnamese myths.“It’s important that we connect our youth to their culture,” said Dennis Duong, president of the Vietnamese American Youth Alliance, which organizes the festival. “This is, at the core, what the festival is about connecting with our roots and preserving the culture.” The three-day festival features lion dances, a Cultural Village, the Miss Vietnam
The Vietnamese American Youth Alliance will welcome the Year of Cat with the 18th annual San Diego Tết Festival in Mira Mesa, a three-day event featuring lion dances, a Cultural Village, the Miss Vietnam Pageant, and Vietnamese food, music and vendors. New to this year’s Tết Festival, which takes place from Jan. 27-29 at Mira Mesa Community Park, is an eSports competition, which has become increasingly popular among Asian youths. The festival is the largest Lunar New Year festival in San Diego County, with more than 30,000 attendees each year. Festival hours are 5 p.m. – 10 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. Sunday at Mira Mesa Community Park. Admission is free. This year is unique as the Vietnamese population celebrates the Year of the Cat, while Chinese and other Asian countries celebrate the Year of the Rabbit.