2023 Events

2023 Lao Boat Racing Champions

Sticky Rice Dragon is a team consisting of husbands and wives, fathers and sons, friends, and people from various backgrounds who share a common interest of paddling. We have novice and experienced paddlers. Sticky Rice dragon is here to support the Laotian community of San Diego and have fun at the same time.

“You may have the greatest bunch of individuals in the world, but if they don’t play together, the team won’t be worth a dime”, Babe Ruth.

Alana Sayarath

• A Senior at O’Farrell Charter School
• A vice-president of the MESA club (Math, Engineering, Science Achievement), a club that allows students to compete in STEM-based competitions against various schools.
• From a family of 5 kids. Parents are Manikhone and Bill Sayarath
• She will be attending the University of California San Diego and majoring in Biochemistry.

Brook Bounyavong

• College Sophomore at the California State University of San Marcos
• Made the Dean’s List each semester at CSU San Marcos
• A member of the Women in STEM club
• Parents are Aukime and Vilayvanh Bounyavong.
• Majoring in Biochemistry and will be graduating in 2025.
• Have been passionate about wanting to work in the medical field since early childhood.
• Part of the Chemistry and Biochemistry Targeted Learning Community where she is able to receive academic advising and peer mentors.
• Works at Scripps Memorial Hospital as a telemetry technician.

Jasmine Onepeng

• College Senior studying Respiratory Therapy at Pima Medical Institute
• Will be graduating school in August of 2023
• her career goal is to become a Registered Respiratory Therapist, hoping to work mainly in the Intensive Care Unit or the Emergency Room / Trauma Room
• Parents are Gayle Phimmasone and Khong Onepeng.
• Served as a team captain of her high school gymnastics team two years in a row.
• Was a 1st Runner-up for the Miss Lao San Diego 2019
• Currently does modeling.

Syra Simsuangco

• A senior at Helix Charter High School, Syra just accepted admission into the University of California, San Diego, as a theater major.
• Oldest in a family of six and will be the first one in the family’s second generation to graduate from high school and go to college
• Parents are Monica and Raymond Simsuangco.
• Has a huge passion for the arts. Interests include theater, music, and film.
• Involved in plays, musicals. Loves to read and write.
• Instrument of choice is the ukulele, learned from grandpa at the end of last year.
• Career goal is to develop her passion for theater and become an actress, aiming for Broadway.

Miss Lao San Diego
Kayla Viriyapanthu

Education Information
Graduated in 2022 from University of California, Riverside (UCR)

Personal Bio
My mom participated in Miss Lao San Diego in 1992 and holds very positive memories for the experience that she's continued to pass on to me. For me, I believe it'd be a wonderful opportunity to not only participate in her legacy, but also as a chance to be involved in the community, make meaningful connections, and embrace my Laotian pride. I'm proud to say that I'm a first-generation Lao American who graduated in Business Administration, Marketing from the University of California, Riverside. Being extremely grateful to graduate in something I'm passionate about, I've gotten to work within the Beauty and Fashion industry, notably finishing an Internship with GUESS? at their headquarters. Since then, I've taken the opportunity to re-connect with other passions such as Modeling, Acting, and creating content on social media (Influencer). When I'm not working, I enjoy spending my time going on walks with my family and 3-year-old Maltese, Kiwi. I also love to exercise daily by either Weightlifting or trying a new workout class with friends. I love spending quality time with the people in my life by going to events, concerts, or just hanging out.

What's In Your Future?
Being in my early 20s and freshly starting adulthood, I want to continue to gain more knowledge and learn more skills within my career while also finding ways to challenge myself for my own personal development. Someday, I hope to own my own business within the Beauty or Fashion industry to fulfill the child in me and empower other women like me that there's spaces for us to be who we want to be. Additionally, I'd love to make room in my life for traveling to different countries, charity work, and fulfilling other life desires. Ultimately in the end, I want to live a meaningful life and be able to take care of the people most important to me: my mom, dad, and brother.

First Runner-up
Helen Khanthavong

Education Information
Currently attending San Jacinto College

Personal Bio
Beauty infuses our inner life and helps us form relationships with our environment, from food to landscape to art, and even with each other. I want to share our lifestyles, foods, and culture with every race and ethnicity for seeking of our own beauty roots. I wanting to empower and inspire women of younger generations to become who they truly want to be and reach their fullest potential. Musicianship is an extension of my spiritual reality, sincerely due to the noveling epiphanies that I have from experiencing music by singing and playing guitar. My interest is helping children, open a business in Laos, giving people opportunities for careers. I am driven by compassion for self and others to work diligently with taxing duty. Coming from Laos to USA, learning the language was a struggle, and the convention of American culture was even harder. Today I have become the woman that I have dreamt of for a very long time. I would never have become who I am today without family, friends and the significant others that I have.

What's In Your Future?
My goal is that I want to open an import/export trading agriculture business in Laos, to help many struggling people by giving them an opportunity for work, careers, and education. To build up to that goal, I have built my sales experience, management and performance skills along the way.

Second Runner-up
Kaitlyn Phanhthaly Nakhonthap

Education Information
Mesa College, Transfer

Personal Bio
I decided to participate in the pageant because I wanted to step out of my comfort zone and find a new way to be more involved in my community. I have been a Lao dancer since I was 3 years old and am currently co-lead of a Lao dance group in San Diego that goes by the name of Dok Kulap Sinlapakorn. I am also currently running my own small business that goes by the name of Desserts by Lyn. In my free time I spend as much time as I can with my family because family is one of the most important things to me. Whenever I can I also spend my time babysitting to lend a helping hand to my family members. I was born and raised in San Diego and am just shy of turning 20 years old in about a week and I am the oldest of three children.

What's In Your Future?
My future goals are to work myself to professionalize in an area of the medical field. This goal is important to me because I have had very personal experiences with family members of mine that have worked up the courage in me to get involved in that field. I am making sure that I am working towards these goals by chasing the correct education and involving myself in the right direction. I have taken different internships at different doctors’ offices that specialize in different fields of medicine. I will continue to work hard because I would like to be a big help to my community.

LCCC presents Lao New Year Festival
April 1-2, 2023

Location
California Center for The Arts
340 N. Escondido Blvd. Escondido (see below for directions and parking).

Saturday April 1 7PM to Midnight
Evening Gala featuring Lao Food, Dancing and Cultural Entertainment
Tickets $30 in advance - $35 at the door (based on availability).

Sunday April 2 9AM - 5PM
Festival events include Food, Cultural Entertainment, Beer Garden
Tickets at the door: $5 (children under 12 free)

For More Information Contact
Paulette Luangviseth - 619-507-7622 
Phet Rassavong - 619-315-1542

Festival Program

Volunteer Opportunities

Event Vendor Permit Application

Vendor Event Registration Form

Directions to the Event And Parking

Updated: April 1, 2023

Volunteering with LCCC will help you gain experience in Lao culture, food, and music. Volunteers may sign-up for more than 1 shift if interested. Roles include event setup, ticketing/entrance, flower sales, food/drink concession stands, stage runners, and event cleanup. Volunteers will get a free t-shirt and a meal. High school students may apply hours towards volunteer community hours. Please bring a printout of your HS form for signature.