The Stockton Hmong New Year will take place Saturday and Sunday, November 14 and 15, 2026, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day at the San Joaquin County Fairgrounds, 1658 S. Airport Way. The two-day celebration is organized by Lao Family Community Empowerment, which says the annual event is intended to bring families together while showcasing and preserving Hmong cultural traditions.
For visitors unfamiliar with Hmong culture, the festival offers an opportunity to experience those traditions through cultural performances, music, sporting events, traditional clothing, Hmong food, merchant vendors and community information booths. Organizers describe the celebration as a family-friendly opportunity for people throughout Stockton to learn more about the cultures represented in their community.
But Hmong New Year is about more than entertainment.
New Year celebrations have long served as important occasions for Hmong families to gather, celebrate their heritage and pass cultural traditions from one generation to the next. In the United States, Hmong New Year celebrations generally take place during November and December. Past Stockton celebrations have brought families together for traditional dress, dance competitions, sports and food while providing younger generations with an opportunity to participate directly in their cultural heritage.
That mission is particularly important to Lao Family Community Empowerment, an organization that has worked with Southeast Asian and refugee families for more than 40 years. The organization provides education, direct services, advocacy and community outreach in San Joaquin County and identifies preserving Hmong cultural traditions as one of the purposes behind organizing Stockton's annual celebration.
The festival is also one of those Stockton events where culture can be experienced through nearly every sense. Traditional clothing transforms the fairgrounds with intricate patterns and vivid colors. Music and performances bring Hmong traditions to the stage, while food vendors introduce visitors to dishes and flavors that are an important part of family and cultural gatherings.
Sports add another dimension to the weekend. The 2026 event listing specifically includes a sports tournament among the festivities, continuing an element that has been prominent at previous Stockton celebrations.
Perhaps the festival's greatest value, however, is the opportunity for cultural exchange. Stockton is home to communities with roots throughout the world, and events such as Hmong New Year allow residents to experience another community's traditions without leaving their own city.
Parents can bring their children to watch cultural performances. Visitors can try Hmong food, browse vendors and learn about community organizations. Hmong families can reconnect with friends and relatives while sharing traditions with younger generations.
The result is both a New Year celebration and a living showcase of Stockton's diversity.
Event Details
What: Stockton Hmong New Year
When: Saturday and Sunday, November 14-15, 2026, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: San Joaquin County Fairgrounds, 1658 S. Airport Way, Stockton
Highlights: Cultural performances, music, sports tournament, Hmong food, merchant vendors and community information booths
Admission: $7 per person
Free Admission: Children under 5 and adults age 65 and older
Parking: $10 per vehicle
Stockton Hmong New Year event information
For members of Stockton's Hmong community, the weekend is an opportunity to celebrate where they come from and ensure traditions continue with the next generation. For everyone else, it is an invitation to come to the fairgrounds, experience those traditions firsthand and discover another part of the cultural fabric that makes Stockton home.