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History

Located in the City of San Jose in Northern California, Lien Hoi is a non-profit organization that has been working on building a strong sense of community for over 30 years.  It was established in 1977 as the main Vietnamese organization that would represent about 48 Vietnamese groups which existed (and some still exist today!) in Northern California.  These groups included Vietnamese schools (such as the now prestigious Trung Tam Viet Ngu Van Lang), Military groups, the Vietnamese Elderly Association, the Vietnamese PTA, the King Hung Temple, IRCC Inc. and VIVO.

1987 Stage Ceremony

Originally the focus was to rebel against the existing communist government in Viet Nam.  The purpose was not only to promote nationalism, and to develop (and protect) traditional Vietnamese culture in America, but also to contribute to our very diverse community here in America.  These days we are more focused on the latter, and the TẾT Festival has become a great vice to do so.

1989 Pageant

The first years of the TẾT Festival were relatively modest.  Beginning in 1976, Hung Lai (presently Lien Hoi’s General Secretary and the Head Organizer of the TẾT Festival) began to assemble the New Year’s celebration in small churches and large homes, whose backyards were graciously donated for the event.  These small venues were used to display altars, for the Vietnamese to show their respects to ancestors, and for local Vietnamese musicians and visual artists to perform.  Food would be brought by all who wanted to join in on the celebration; creating a huge potluck of Vietnamese cuisine.

1994 Main Entrance

The first LARGE TẾT Festival celebration was held at San Jose high school in San Jose, CA in 1983.  Taekwondo and Table tennis demonstrations were played out in the gym, food and games were offered outside on a small lawn, while photo and art exhibitions were displayed within classrooms.  The first Miss TẾT Festival pageant also had its beginnings here; a contest that offers scholarships to young Vietnamese women; to promote for higher education.

1995 Crowd

The main venue that has housed the TẾT Festival for many years has been the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds.  The grounds have allowed the TẾT Festival to (more than) quadruple in size.  Rides, talent shows, more athletic tournaments, even a circus have been added for guest entertainment.  The TẾT Festival has become such a grand event that it has even grabbed the attention of (then) California Governor George Dukemejian, who visited the TẾT Festival in 1986.  Other such diplomatic guests have been Zoe Lofgren, Barbara Boxer, Norman Mineta and Mike Honda, just name a few.  Lien Hoi, now still sustained by Hung Lai, strives harder and harder every year to gather up the masses of people, in a harmonious fashion, for a truly joyous event.

1997 Thieu Nhi Tai Sac