Monday, April 16, 2012

Cambodian New Year festival scheduled for Saturday

April 16, 2012
By Greg Mellen, Staff Writer
Long Beach Press Telegram
WANT TO GO?
  • What: Cambodian New Year celebration
  • When: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday
  • Where: El Dorado Regional Park, Area III, 7550 E. Spring St.
  • Cost: $30 per vehicle in advance (includes parking); $40 per vehicle day of event
  • Information: 562-212-5936, coordinators@cam-cc.org
LONG BEACH - The Cambodian Coordinating Council is inviting the Khmer and Khmer-at-heart to its annual Cambodian New Year festival at El Dorado Regional Park on Saturday.

After 13 years at the site, organizers are getting pretty good at this thing. Steve Meng, president of Cam-CC said this year the organization had all its paperwork and payments in for the event months ahead of time.

The all-day affair will feature a full slate of entertainment, religious and cultural ceremonies, traditional food, carnival and traditional games and face painting for kids as well as merchandise and information booths.


Meng said he wanted this year's entertainment to have something for everyone, so performances will range from traditional and folk Cambodian music to modern music from local singers and rappers.

One of the featured performers this year will be Khmer pop star Bochan Huy. Having recently returned from a popular concert tour of Cambodia, the artist has recently been hot with her new song "Chnam Oum 16" or "My Sweet 16," a popular remake and remix of a Cambodian rock song.

Also playing will be a kids rock band named the Cambodian Rockers.

Another feature returning to this year's celebration will be a volleyball tournament, which should provide heated competition and entertainment.

Meng also said he wanted to return more traditional elements of the New Year celebration to the festivities, so there will be monks taking food offerings in exchange for blessings, along with a "blessing of the sand mountain," which usually occurs on the last day of a traditional three-day New Year celebration. 

This year - which will be 2556 on the Buddhist calendar - celebrates the Year of the Dragon. The holiday is generally from April 13-15 on the solar calendar. In Long Beach, organizers have scheduled the park celebration so that it will not conflict with the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, which wrapped up Sunday.

This year, Cam-CC canceled its annual Cambodian New Year parade due to low sponsorship, though organizers hope to bring it back next year.

Because of that, Meng says there seems to be even greater interest in the celebration.

"This is a great way to gather all people to come celebrate. I think it will be a great show."

greg.mellen@presstelegram.com

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