Mary Queen of Vietnam Catholic church (14001 Dwyer Blvd, New Orleans, LA) will host the annual Tet (Lunar New Year) festival this weekend, January 27 (5:30 to 10), 28 (9 am to 10 pm), and 29 (9 am to 9 pm), 2012. See the detailed festival schedule in the church bulletin here, and read Gambit’s coverage here (with photos).
The festival has free admission, with the usual complement of church-fair activities: “win a car” raffles, pull-tab tickets and carnival games, live music, and oh yes, food: pho, grilled meats, fried bananas, spring rolls by the hundreds, and very very good tacos and tamales.
2012 is the Year of the Dragon, more specifically the Water Dragon, which is considered the luckiest sign in the zodiac. Then again, people born under the Dragon are said to be narcissists and megalomaniacs. So maybe it’s a good year to begin any plans involving eventual world domination….
Bouillie 
Are they still booking crappy cover bands and blasting the music at painful volumes? Love the food, but it’s such an unpleasant experience that I finally gave up.
Went to a West Bank celebration a few years back. Smaller, but much better. Can’t find any details on that.
Yes, the festival still has your typical church-fair cover bands. I go early, before the music starts. Food is ready, people are eating, and I don’t have to hear “Mustang Sally” or “Brown Eyed Girl”. Gates open at 9 am.
Last time I saw any music there it was asian cover bands, to make it extra surreal. Also dancing dragons.
We’re probably going tomorrow night. Should be fun.
Ha! I am a Water Dragon. I will not take over the world but I am plotting to take over the Gulf of Mexico oyster beds!!