Music, dance, and food – recipe for delight at a ‘New Year in the Park’ observance

INCLUDES COLORFUL, MUSICAL VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS | See how this “New Year’s in springtime” brings together Laotian, Cambodian, the Myanmar/Burmese community, Thailand people, and those from Nepal and Tamil – all at an outer East Portland celebration …

Weather is perfect for this year’s New Year in the Park celebration in Glenhaven Park.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton

Fair weather smiled on this year’s New Year in the Park festival, held on Saturday, April 26 in Glenhaven Park.

If you’ve missed our coverage of it in previous years, New Year in the Park was started to inspire greater understanding among Cambodian, Laotian, Myanmar/Burmese community, Thailand people, and those from Nepal and Tamil.

This unique event also gives Southeast Asian communities the opportunity to share their rich cultural heritage with the general public.

Hosting the guests visiting the Buddhist shrine, it’s Noi Piniap Hall.

Seeing everyone enjoying the celebration “brings joy to my heart,” says its local founder, Saron Khut.

“In this is the 11th year that we’ve held this celebration; skipping a year because of the COVID pandemic,” commented the founder of New Year in the Park, Saron Khut – the proprietor of Mekong Bistro restaurant, just across the street from the park.

“Holding this is important to our communities because, as anyone who visits will see, all the love, and joy, and fun here has everyone under one ‘umbrella’ – or, in one case, under one tent,” Khut told East Portland News.

The Year in the Park festival again showcases cultural dance performances like this one, in front of the main stage.

Serving up delicacies are these smiling ladies from Phở Hùng on Powell restaurant.

“This isn’t just for Asian people,” pointed out Khut. “From the start, the idea was to be inviting everyone in our community to celebrate with us.

“When people of all different nationalities gather and connect in a fun environment, it shows that were all just ‘people’ – neighbors and members of the community!”

Now, enjoy highlights of the 2025 New Year in the Park celebration in our video:

New Year in the Park is organized by a committee of about 20 volunteers who work on this throughout the year. “The day of the event, we have an additional 40 volunteers here helping us out; it’s just wonderful to see so many turn out to help put this on,” commended Khut. “Although it’s a lot of work, each year, every year, I look forward to this day because it’s this kind of thing that makes my heart full of joy.”

The Iu Mien “Rose City Girls” pose for a photo just before going on stage to perform.

These volunteers show of this year’s official shirt.

The organizers, the Cambodian-American Community of Oregon are already looking forward to April 25, 2026 – the last Saturday in April – for their next presentation of Year in the Park. Stay in touch by visiting their website and signing up for their email newsletter: CLICK HERE.

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