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How much did it cost Westminster to throw the big Tết parade?

April 21, 2026

Ushering in the Year of the Horse with its famed Tết parade along Bolsa Avenue in the heart of Little Saigon cost the city of Westminster just a third of what it spent on the celebration in 2025.

Little Saigon, which spans Fountain Valley, Garden Grove, Santa Ana and Westminster, is home to the largest community of Vietnamese living outside of Vietnam, and the annual Tết parade — which the city took over hosting in recent years — draws big crowds to line the street and is broadcast internationally.

This year, the parade landed on Feb. 21 and drew 250,000 viewers through local TV station broadcasts and more than 15,000 in-person attendees, city officials estimated in a report that will be presented to the City Council on Wednesday, April 22. The council is also expected to pick a date for next year’s parade that night.

This year’s Tết parade featured approximately 2,500 participants, who rode dozens of floats, marched in bands, performed lion dances and walked to represent community groups along the route down Bolsa Avenue and between Magnolia and Bushard streets.

The Tết parade has celebrated the Lunar New Year in Little Saigon for more than two decades, with various organizers, including at times the city. Westminster officials stepped in again for 2023, organizing the parade with less than two months’ leeway, and have continued to handle the planning since.

At times over the parade’s lifespan, organizers have struggled with the cost of the endeavor and finding sponsors. This year, however, the parade’s finances were in good shape.

The event cost the city $51,961 out-of-pocket after sponsorships, a city staff report said. Last year’s parade cost Westminster nearly triple that amount, or $156,261.

The event was expected to cost $179,959, but the city was able to secure $127,233 in sponsorships, with the Westminster Tết Parade Foundation assisting in fundraising and directly raising $60,000.

Last year’s parade, which cost $167,462, was supported by just $51,500 in sponsorships, city officials said.

The City Council this week will discuss three possible dates for next year’s Tết parade, likely choosing from staff recommendations for Feb. 6, which is a Saturday, Feb. 7 or Feb. 13, another Saturday.

The next Lunar New Year will celebrate the Year of the Goat, with Tết kicking off Feb. 6.

Orange County Register

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How much did it cost Westminster to throw the big Tết parade?

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