THE LION DANCE is a traditional part of Tet activities (File photo).

By Jim Tortolano/Orange County Tribune

Approval was granted by the Garden Grove City Council on Tuesday night to the Union of Vietnamese Student Associations to conduct a Tet Festival in Garden Grove Park next year, but not without some skepticism.

The vote was 6-0 in favor with Councilmember Joe DoVinh abstaining. The one-year agreement authorizes the UVSA to bring the event to the city’s largest park from Friday, Jan. 31-Sunday, Feb, 2, 2025.

Most members of the council were enthusiastic about the return of the event to Garden Grove, which was the home of the festival from 2001 to 2013. Councilmember George Brietigam spoke of how much he and his family enjoyed attending the festival in years past.

But DoVinh made an oblique reference to the scandal in 2015 when the UVSA removed two of its leaders – the president and treasurer – for allegedly embezzling over $118,000 from the 2013 event.

Speakers from the UVSA addressed the councilmembers, assuring them that there would be “full transparency” this year and incidents of years past would not be repeated.

DoVinh questioned whether any of the members of the UVSA Board of Directors – who are responsible for overseeing the actions of the UVSA and the conduct of the festival – were in the audience.

He named each member of the board and asked “Present or not?” and received no answer. Councilmember John O’Neill said that the board members were located all across Southern California and might not be able to make it to Garden Grove on a Tuesday night.

Also on Tuesday night the council heard updates on the Civic Center Revitalization and the Central Cities Navigation Center.