Let me tell you that finding this event was not easy. I had to go search for it on Google since there is no event created on Facebook. I also did not see any marketing. I knew there is a Chinese New Year celebration in Minnesota but I just didn't know where and when.
So you must be thinking what and where is the Chinese New Year Celebration? The Minnesota Chinese New Year Celebration is hosted by the Minnesota International Chinese School. This year the celebration was held at Kennedy High school in Bloomington, Minnesota. The celebration included folk song and dances, hands-on custom experiences, traditional food, and carnival games.
First thing we noticed was the parking. The lots were already full but we were lucky to find a parking spot in the back of the building. The walk to the front entrance was not that long. Once you enter through the main entrance, there were people there to greet you and tell you where to go.
I do want to point out that you had to exchange money for tokens to use for games and food. There were no signs indicating that you had to do this unless you were in the food or game area then you see signs saying that you needed tokens. Also, majority of the signs were in Chinese with some English. It was easy to make out what some of the signs say but if you didn't know you could just ask a staff member.
The games were in the gym along with informational booths. They also had a bounce house for the kids and prizes for the games. There was also a photography area where people can wear Chinese outfits for pictures. Performances were in the auditorium. We only stayed to watch one performance.
The food was in the cafeteria. Vendors were set up against the wall with signs showing what they were selling. There were about 8-9 vendors. We recognized two vendors: Tokyo 23 Buffet and Tea Bar. Almost all of the food were about $5 each so you would have to use tokens to purchase.
FOOD
Salt and pepper squid
$5
The place we bought this from had already prepackaged the food. When I opened it, the smell of the black pepper was strong and the squid was still warm so I knew it was just freshly made and packaged. The squid was chewy and the flavor was a nice consistency between the salt and black pepper.
Fried Chicken Breast
$5
The chicken breast was lightly covered in their flour mix so it did not have a nice crunch to it. I wish they had caked on the batter to give it that extra crunch that I like. It was also plainly seasoned. Nothing special about it.
Garlic and Spicy Chinese Sausage
$5
We got two Chinese sausages for $5. You can choose between original, garlic or spicy. The spicy was not spicy at all. The garlic was a bit better than the spicy but they both had a plain taste. I also wish they came with rice. It was a bit too dry to eat by itself.
Pork belly with Rice
$5
This dish taste like something you can make at home. It's basically pressured cooked pork belly topped on top of rice with some vegetables.
Butterfly with Mango Tea
Tea Bar
$5
This drink is from Tea Bar which is located in White Bear Lake! It's my favorite boba tea place so I was super excited to see them at this event. They only offered four different drinks so I got the Butterfly with Mango tea drink. Definitely delicious.
Overall, it was a good experience to see how Minnesotans celebrate the Chinese New Year. It's definitely different than the Hmong New Year and a lot smaller but it's always good to experience different cultures and traditions. This event is perfect if you have kids because they had a lot of activities for kids.
Link to vlog: https://youtu.be/fI4c-AEFOAg
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