Thousands of locals and out-of-town visitors filled the Sonnentag Center for the Eau Claire Hmong New Year (ECHNY) celebration this past weekend, Oct. 17-18. The annual event brought lively sports and on-stage competitions, dozens of vendors – and an estimated 5,000 to 6,000 attendees – to the downtown venue.

The Hmong New Year is not tied to any specific date but rather the harvest season. Traditionally, the New Year is a spiritual celebration – often marked by feasts, activities and perhaps religious rituals, with vibrant regalia adorned by most – honoring ancestors. In the simplest terms, it is a time of true togetherness. 

“We're incredible grateful and proud to provide a space for the Hmong community to come together, celebrate our culture and traditions and share them with others throughout the Chippewa Valley,” Gaosheng Xiong, ECHNY secretary and admissions chairperson, shared with Volume One. 

“It was exciting to see such an incredible turnout, so much energy and beautiful weather throughout the event,” Xiong added, also noting the celebration's ability to bring visitors to the local community and support area businesses. 

Throughout both event days, a number of performances and tournaments were held, spanning competitive dance, qeej and singing competitions, as well as volleyball and cornhole. ECHNY organizers shared winners of each respective competition, below: 

2026 Eau Claire Hmong New Year Competition Winners

Hmong Rising Star Singing Competition

1. Lucas Xiong
2. Bao Bai Vue
3. Pong Moua

Qeej Competition

1. Zieke
2. Kevin & Conan
3. Zoov Vaj

Hmong All Star Dance Competition (multiple tiers)

• Tier: Legacy
  1. MN Sunshine
  2. Seev Yuj Yees
  3. Lotus
• Tier: Elevate
  1. Starfire
  2. Eternal Embers
  3. Dhia Ua Ke
• Tier: Ignite
  1. Iris
  2. Genesis
  3. Lunaris

Cornhole Tournament (doubles, multiple tiers)

• Tier 1
  1. Team MN
  2. MT
  3. Scooby Lazer Doo
• Tier 2
  1. B4B
  2. Miles Apart
  3. South Pay
• Tier 3
  1. Lying Kings
  2. 49ers
  3. 6-7

Cornhole Tournament (singles, multiple tiers)

• Tier 1
  1. Dia
  2. X
  3. Choua Ly
• Tier 2
  1. Jordan Muas
  2. Ace Jack
  3. Jimmy T
• Tier 3
  1. One way
  2. TinyFatBeast
  3. May

Volleyball Tournament (men's, women's, U18)

• Men's:
  1. Twin City Rejects
  2. Buffalo
  3. Showvaders
• Women's:
  1. DND
  2. Fake Notorious
  3. Just for Fun
• U18 boys winner: Waymakers
• U18 girls winner: Flowstate

Looking ahead, ECHNY organizers say they're eager to grow the community celebration (and its pool of volunteers and committee members) for generations to come.