Stories, culture, and community come together at the Tết Lunar New Year Festival!

To help ring in the Year of the Horse, the City of Santa Ana is proud to welcome two special guests authors at the Tết Lunar New Year Festival.

The event will take place on Saturday, February 7, 2026 at Centennial Park (3000 W. Edinger Avenue) from 1 - 6 p.m. Ann Chau will take the stage at 1:30 p.m., followed by Thái Nguyễn at 3:50 p.m. Attendees are invited to meet the authors, have books signed, and participate in a Q&A session where each will share insights into their work, books, and creative inspiration.

Ann Chau is a second-generation Vietnamese American author based in Southern California. She holds a B.A. in Asian American Studies and a Master's in Public Administration. Inspired by her family's traditions, she wrote her self-published children's book, My Ông Ngoại's Garden, to share her passion for the Vietnamese language and culture with her children and future generations. As a community advocate, Ann has promoted Vietnamese culture and children's literacy through speaking engagements at local libraries, and most recently at her alma mater, UCLA. Passionate about storytelling and representation, Ann is dedicated to amplifying Asian American voices and celebrating cultural heritage through her work. She is currently working on two additional books, set to publish in 2026.

Thái Nguyễn (pronounced Tie-Win), born in My Tho, learned to sew at the age of nine sitting in on classes at his parents' sewing school in Saigon, Vietnam. In 1993, the family immigrated to the United States, where Thái is now a fashion designer, living in Orange County, California. His designs, for high-profile clients and celebrities have been featured in top publications and have graced the red carpets of the Met Gala, the Oscars, the Grammys, and film and television premieres. Thái's love of the áo dài, this iconic symbol of Vietnam, has been and will continue to be the wellspring for all his creations. Mai's Áo Dài is his debut picture book.

The City of Santa Ana looks forward to hosting both guest authors at this year's Tết Festival and continuing to celebrate and uplift diverse cultural stories for the community. Learn more by visiting santa-ana.org/tet-lunar-new-year-festival/.