Seattle Hmong New Year (Seattle Center Festál)

Seattle Hmong New Year, presented by Seattle Center Festál with the Hmong Association of Washington, celebrates the end of the harvest season with intricate clothing, dance, food and more in the Armory Food & Event Hall. Created to give thanks to ancestors and welcome a new beginning, Hmong New Year is the biggest festive holiday wherever Hmong communities exist, traditionally lasting ten days but shortened in the U.S. Everyone dresses in traditional Hmong clothing, and a popular part of the celebration is Pov Pob, a ball toss between two people that is a form of courtship. The festival is free and open to the public.