Young residents wearing traditional attire make their way past Bob Hart Square during the Lao New Year celebration.
Young residents wearing traditional attire make their way past Bob Hart Square during the Lao New Year celebration.
Colorful parade floats caught everyone’s eye as they made their way through Downtown Merced during the celebration.
Residents take a closer look at the intricate work done on one of the parade floats that made its way down Main Street.
Vendors throughout the ceremony were present to keep those in attendance having fun as the parade got underway.
Vendors throughout the ceremony were present to keep those in attendance having fun as the parade got underway.
Food vendors along Canal Street filled the air with the aromas of traditional dishes as they cooked for a hungry crowd.
Two young residents beat the heat with a set of squirt guns.
Colorful parade floats caught everyone’s eye as they made their way through Downtown Merced during the celebration.
Merced Mayor Mike Murphy joined in on the parade as he walked the route wearing traditional attire.
Merced Mayor Mike Murphy joined in on the parade as he walked the route wearing traditional attire.
The Merced County Office of Education was one of the many organizations that worked together to make the Lao New Year 2019 celebration come to fruition.
The events princesses stand together in front of Bob Hart Square as the parade gets underway.
Colorful parade floats caught everyone’s eye as they made their way through Downtown Merced during the celebration.
Colorful parade floats caught everyone’s eye as they made their way through Downtown Merced during the celebration.
Colorful parade floats caught everyone’s eye as they made their way through Downtown Merced during the celebration.
Following the parade was a singing of the National Anthem.
Event participants gather together for a traditional prayer ceremony.
Event participants gather together for a traditional prayer ceremony during the 2019 Lao New Year parade in Downtown Merced..
Event participants gather together for a traditional prayer ceremony.
Event participants gather together for a traditional prayer ceremony.
Merced Mayor Mike Murphy receives a bracelet following the prayer ceremony to provide him with good luck.
UC Merced’s Cori Lucero watches as a good luck bracelet is tied onto her hand following the prayer ceremony.
Water is flung onto the crowd to rinse away bad luck and ensure good luck for the upcoming year.
Merced County Superintendent of Schools Steve Tietjen sits as a good luck bracelet is tied onto his wrist following the prayer ceremony.
Princesses for the event wash the monks hands as they sit atop Bob Hart Square.
Sam Malaythong speaks to those in attendance thanking them for joining in on the Lao New Year celebration in Downtown Merced.
Merced Mayor Mike Murphy speaks about the important contributions of the Lao community in Merced.
Merced Mayor Mike Murphy speaks about the important contributions of the Lao community in Merced.
Merced Mayor Mike Murphy speaks about the important contributions of the Lao community in Merced.
A representative of Congressman Jim Costa’s office thanks the Lao Association for continuing to bring the Lao New Year to Downtown Merced.
A representative of Senator Anna Caballero’s office thanks the Lao Association for continuing to bring the Lao New Year to Downtown Merced.
Residents watch as a traditional dance performance is brought to the streets of Downtown Merced.
The Laotian community of Merced filled Main Street with color, cheer, and holiday fun as they celebrated Lao New Year with residents, community leaders, and government representatives on Saturday, April 13. Coming together in Downtown Merced, the celebration works to shed light on the rich culture of the Laotian community in Merced who have called the area home for nearly 40 years. The daylong celebration is now in its second year after the festivities were discontinued for around three decades. The day’s festivities kicked ofF at 10:00 AM with Takbaht where community members gave food and alms to Buddhist monks, followed by a lunchtime feast hosted at Bangkok Thai on Main Street. At 1:00 PM a parade made its way from the Bangkok Thai restaurant to Bob Hart Square and featured floats and local organizations highlighting the New Year’s celebration and culture. As members of the community made their way along the parade route, water was thrown back and forth between the crowd and the floats to cleanse one another of bad luck and ensure that the upcoming year was filled with good luck. Following the Lao New Year parade, Laotian and Merced leaders spoke to those in attendance, held a traditional prayer ceremony, and emphasized their culture through a series of dance performance in front of Bob Hart Square. The event was made possible thanks to the help and collaboration of the Lao Association, UC Merced, Tsunami Collaborations, Merced Mayor Mike Murphy, the Merced County Office of Education, the Merced Irrigation District, and Assemblymember Adam Gray.