(WSB photos)

Tết, the Vietnamese New Year, is officially here, as of this afternoon’s celebration at the Vietnamese Cultural Center in West Seattle. The rain lifted in time for more than 50 people to gather on the VCC’s plaza of temples and statues, with the Lion Dance Team from the Van Hanh Temple Buddhist Youth Group.

Firecrackers and drums provided the soundtrack for the dance:

The celebration began with flag salutes and anthems, as Viet Tran raised the Vietnam Heritage and Freedom Flag alongside the Stars and Stripes:

The event was emceed by Bao Van Nguyen (below right) with participants including Col. Yen Len Hua (below left) offering the Tết greeting and New Year’s wishes, as well as the colonel’s fellow VCC board elders Hung Manh Dinh and Khai Dinh Tran presenting the history of King Quang Trung and a traditional New Year’s Wish reading.

The celebration continued inside one of the VCC temples, with a commemorative photo first:

Though last Monday marked the official arrival of the New Year, Tết is a multi-day celebration, and today was the conclusion.

By the way, you don’t have to wait for a holiday to visit the Vietnamese Cultural Center, led by director Lee Bui – it’s open to the public most Saturdays, noon-3 pm, at 2236 SW Orchard, on Metro Route 128, with parking out front.