The 4th Annual Wausau Hmong Festival will have free COVID-19 vaccines

WAUSAU, Wis. (WSAW) - The annual Hmong Wausau Festival continues this Saturday and Sunday after having to cancel last year due to COVID-19. The festival will be at People’s Sports Complex located at the Eastbay Sports Complex in Wausau.

Free COVID-19 vaccines will be available at the festival. The National Guard and the H2N Project will supply them. The clinic will be open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

It will be located south of the Main Entertainment tent with the vendors that are not serving any food near the General Show Stage.

According to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services data, over half of the Asian population has had at least one dose of the vaccine. That number, 51.3%, is more than any other race in the state. The Hmong American Center hopes to use the festival to further increase their vaccination rates.

“I’m very proud of the vaccination rates, with statistics in the local area here with the Asian American community leading the statistics in being the group with the most individuals vaccinated,” said Yee Leng Xiong, Hmong American Center, Inc. Executive Director and Festival Chair.

This year, over 80 teams signed up for volleyball. There will also be singing, dancing, shopping and fantastic food.

The Governor and Lieutenant Governor will make an appearance. It will be the first time they both will have showed to a Hmong festival in the history of the Hmong community, according to Yee Leng Xiong.

The Hmong American Center is hoping to top the attendance of their last festival in 2019. They had 9,000 people and the event planners are expecting much higher this year.