San Jose Tết Festival Draws Crowds as Bay Area Welcomes Year of the Horse

Thousands gather to celebrate Lunar New Year with traditional Vietnamese music, food, and cultural festivities.

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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The annual Tết Festival in San Jose, the largest Lunar New Year celebration in the Vietnamese community outside of Vietnam, drew thousands of attendees this past weekend as the Bay Area welcomed the Year of the Horse. The festival featured live music, carnival rides, traditional Vietnamese cuisine, and families posing for photos with large golden horse displays. Many parents attended to help their children stay connected to their cultural roots, with some dressing their kids in traditional áo dài outfits. The event was organized by the Vietnamese Catholic community of the Diocese of San Jose on a budget of around $250,000.

Why it matters

Lunar New Year is the most important holiday for many Asian Americans, often compared to Christmas. The Tết Festival in San Jose is a major celebration that allows the local Vietnamese community to come together and pass on cultural traditions to the next generation. As the city with the largest Vietnamese population outside of Vietnam, San Jose's Lunar New Year festivities highlight the vibrant and enduring Vietnamese-American culture in the Bay Area.

The details

The Tết Festival took place outside San Jose's Eastridge Center and featured a wide array of traditional Vietnamese entertainment and cuisine. Families posed for photos with large golden horse displays, a nod to the Chinese zodiac sign associated with speed, freedom and success. The event was organized by the Vietnamese Catholic community of the Diocese of San Jose on a budget of around $250,000. According to U.S. Census data, San Jose is home to the largest Vietnamese population of any city outside Vietnam, with roughly 150,000 Vietnamese Americans.

  • The Tết Festival took place this past weekend, February 14-16, 2026.
  • Lunar New Year, marking the Year of the Horse, was celebrated on February 17, 2026.

The players

Chi Tran

A Milpitas resident who attended the Tết Festival with his wife and their four-year-old son.

Deacon Nhut Ho

A spokesman for the Tết Festival, which is organized by the Vietnamese Catholic community of the Diocese of San Jose.

Annie Nguyen-Barany

A Berkeley resident describing her family's preparations for Lunar New Year, including decorating and cleaning to get ready for the holiday.

Rumi Barany

A Berkeley resident who enjoys the traditions of Lunar New Year, such as receiving red envelopes and connecting with other Vietnamese families.

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What they’re saying

“We just want to get a little bit of the new year spirit in, so this is the perfect spot.”

— Chi Tran (cbsnews.com)

“This is the biggest event for Vietnamese outside of Vietnam. The budget that we spent for this event is around $250,000.”

— Deacon Nhut Ho, festival spokesman (cbsnews.com)

“We're decorating. We've spent a lot of time cleaning, making sure everything is nice.”

— Annie Nguyen-Barany (cbsnews.com)

“I also like the red envelopes. And I also like meeting other Vietnamese families, [so I can practice] my Vietnamese.”

— Rumi Barany (cbsnews.com)

What’s next

Organizers of the Tết Festival hope to surpass the 70,000 attendees from last year, despite rain in the forecast for this year's event.

The takeaway

The Tết Festival in San Jose serves as a vibrant celebration of Vietnamese-American culture, allowing families to pass on traditions to the next generation and fostering a strong sense of community among the Bay Area's large Vietnamese population.