Tens of thousands of Hmong from across the world are expected to gather this weekend in St. Pauls Como Park for the annual summer sports festival.

A patchwork quilt of games including soccer, volleyball, Sepak Takraw and flag football will spread across McMurray Field with family and friends cheering from sidelines.

Singers and break-dancers will attempt to captivate the crowd with their pitch and power from festival stages. Aromas of Hmong dishes will waft from a smorgasbord of food booths.

The annual Hmong Freedom Celebration Sport Tournament, commonly referred to as J4 after the Fourth of July holiday, is hosted by the Lao Family Foundation.

But a few things will be different this year. Festival goers will be asked to observe a moment of silence during todays opening ceremony to mark this years 40th anniversary of the Hmong migration to Minnesota following the Vietnam War.

It will be short and simple, but we are asking all sports competitions and entertainment to momentarily halt so we can all come together and remember, said Tzianeng Vang, the chief executive officer of this years event.

A parade and a keynote speaker will round out the opening ceremony.

The other notable change this year, according to Tzianeng Vang, will be the beer garden. For the first time in the events 35-year history, organizers acquired a permit to sell alcohol at the festival.

Often described as one of the largest international Hmong gatherings in the world, people come from as far away as France and Thailand and as close as down the street. Organizers are expecting about 30,000 people this year.

I think more than anything, people just want to be together, to see and to sense everything happening around them, Tzianeng Vang said.

To get an insiders view on some of the weekends activities, the Pioneer Press asked a mix of five athletes and artists to share a little about their path to J4.

SEPAK TAKRAW

Growing up in the Ban Vinai refugee camp in Thailand, Gao Chang passed time kicking a woven rattan ball over a modified volleyball or badminton net. When he started high school in Highland Park in 1993, the same skills won him a following among his Hmong peers. The best players could jump on their hands to perform lightning-fast flip-kicks into the opposing teams court.

Every time we played a match, it was packed, he said.

The hands-free sport, known as Sepak Takraw in Thai or Kato in Laotian, dates back centuries but has yet to break into the Olympics or gain a popular following in the US

Hes hoping to change that, using St. Paul as a launching pad. Gao Chang, 38, a Ramsey County Sheriffs deputy, knows hes too old to play on the international stage, but hes rooting for his two sons, ages 12 and 13, as well as a series of Minnesota players in their teens and early 20s who have begun competing abroad.

This weekend, hes inviting the curious to join the field with the professionals, at least for a few minutes of instruction, regardless of their race, age or background.

We are in the process of proposing Takraw courts in St. Paul, said Gao Chang, who has been organizing free demonstrations at St. Paul Public schools. Weve already got the diagrams. We want the public to know that the court is not just for our community but for the whole mainstream community.

During J4, Gao Changs St. Paul-based nonprofit — Sepak Takraw of the USA Inc. — will host two Takraw courts, one dedicated to experienced Division A players and the other for novice and retired Division B players.

From 11 am to noon Saturday and Sunday, veterans of the sport who are in their 40s, 50s, and 60s will play a legends match, showcasing the skills many picked up during their teen years in Laos and Thailand.

Alex Vang, 40, got into the sport at the relatively ripe age of 25 but found his prior training in martial arts to be good preparation in terms of flexibility, reflexes and kicks.

Immediately after the legends matches, spectators will be invited onto the field to try their luck at spiking, serving, blocking and setting under the guidance of seasoned players.Theres even a limited number of prizes, such as free Takraw balls, for audience members.

The Division A and Division B games run throughout Saturday and Sunday, and the best players are likely to be recruited to represent the US internationally.

In early May, Team USA took home two gold medals at the 30th Kings Cup Sepak Takraw World Championship in Thailand. The team was composed of John Thao, a server from Minneapolis; Monty Hansana, a striker from Houston; and Tony Ontam, a feeder from Sacramento, Calif.

Our goal is to someday get this into the Olympics, said Gao Chang.

His organization is eager to set up demonstrations at local schools. Anyone interested can contact him at G.Chang07@gmail.com.

BREAK-DANCING

For hours every week, you can find Brandon Vang spinning on his head.

Sometimes he drops down to his upper back and windmills his feet in the air. Or he might be walking on his hands, whipping his legs around in a circle beneath him like the hands of a clock gone haywire. Hip-hop music is often blasting in the background.

Its all in the name of break-dancing, one of the 22-year-olds greatest loves. Its what propelled the B-boy from Burnsville to spend three years traveling the country competing in dance competitions. Its why he spends about 15 hours a week tucked away in his room or at a recreation center working on power moves, footwork and stamina. Its also why hell be getting on stage at J4.

The native of France — his parents fled to there from Laos during the Vietnam War before resettling in Minnesota — is one of a few dozen B-boys competing in the festivals Boom Bap Village break-dancing competition on the main stage. The battles, as they are often called, start around 2 pm Saturday, according to Cheng Xiong, a 23-year-old from St. Paul who is helping to organize the competition. Each competitor only gets about a minute to perform.

While break-dancing has long been informally part of J4, it was added to the official roster of events last year.

The athletic and frenetic dance style has become increasingly popular among local Hmong-American youth, Cheng Xiong said.

Its a way to relieve stress and be away from home in safe venues, rather than just being out and doing whatever and maybe getting into trouble, Cheng Xiong said.

Thats what drew Brandon Vang to it. The self-proclaimed troublemaker, who says he used to be loosely affiliated with a local gang, learned break-dancing from his cousins and uncles when he was 16.

He hasnt stopped since.

I just realized that breaking is so enjoyable and fulfilling, Brandon Vang said. When you enter a jam or compete in a battle, its kind of like you are fighting because you can take out your anger and your stress, but youre not actually hitting anyone … You are expressing yourself on the floor for everyone to see.

He used to travel around the country competing, but hes since slowed down to pursue a degree in Internet technology from Brown College.

Its a backup, Brandon Vang says, in the likely event he cant make a career out of dancing.

Known more for his creative footwork than his power, Brandon Vang prefers to let the music inform his movements during battles, rather than going in with any particular routine in mind.

Its that sense of freedom that keeps the art form fresh for him, Brandon Vang said.

The thing about breaking is that, yeah, there are some fundamental movements to it, but after that, no one tells you and no one knows how you can best dance but you, he said. Hes excited to see what emerges from him on stage this weekend, and he has advice for newbies coming out to watch for the first time.

Dont expect it to be like the movies, like Step Up or something, Brandon Vang said. In person, when you watch, its very loud and lively, very exciting. … Even for me, I could be watching my friends competing and it will start to get my blood boiling just seeing how hard they are going and how crazy they are killing it. … It will make me want to join in.

LIVE MUSIC

Chardenai Vang wrote her first song when she was 7 years old and her first rap, Single Like a Dollar Bill, at age 12.

The 19-year-old songwriter and rapper was in love with poetry and free verse as a child, she said.

She used to write about love but recently started writing lyrics about following her dreams and larger social issues.

Im really big on movements and changing the world because I feel like music is a universal language. If Im going to make a difference at all in this world, music would be my tool, she said.

She will perform at 11 am Saturday at J4s Center for Hmong Arts and Talent stage. Several other artists and bands — some local and others from across the country — will perform throughout the weekend.

Chardenai Vang is excited to share the same stage as headliners Cody Lee and David Yang, artists who are already established in the Hmong community.

She is new to the Twin Cities. She left South Carolina for Maplewood in December and now lives with her family in South St. Paul.

Shes hoping her performance this weekend will help her become more involved with the local Hmong community.

Chardenai Vang is trying to learn more about Hmong culture, including the language, she said.

Hmong LGBTQ nonprofit Shades of Yellow has been like family to her, she said.

The group has been one of her biggest supporters since she moved here by giving her opportunities to perform and connecting her with the community, she said.

Chardenai Vang is releasing her first official extended play CD titled The Second Chapter at her J4 booth.

The seven tracks and one bonus track are about her journey since experiencing heartbreak last year. The EPs are free, but shell have a donation box, she said.

SOCCER

Peter Xiong, a special education paraprofessional at a St. Paul charter school, has played competitive soccer at J4 since he was 12, and he wasnt playing against kids.

Peter Xiong, 27, of Woodbury, now serves as captain and founding member of Metro FC (the FC stands for football club, as in soccer), a team largely composed of fellow Xiongs — his brothers, cousins and extended family, some of whom are flying in from as far as North Carolina.

Metro FC, which has yet to conquer the tournament, will face no easy road. Upwards of 30 teams will occupy Como Parks McMurray Field Saturday and Sunday, with the goal of winning the festival trophy and up to $6,000 in prizes.

Weve come really close, said Peter Xiong, who helped launch Metro FC with two brothers in 2010. The reason we come back is just the atmosphere — thousands of fans and people watching you. Its just crazy.

Hmong people always look forward to this tournament, he added. Youre an amateur player, and youre getting thousands of people to watch you? What more could you want as an amateur player?

The answer to that question may be more complicated than it sounds. Despite its popularity, the tournament has sometimes faced criticism for being too packed, rules surrounding participation, scuffles in the stands and behind-the-scenes conflicts.

The soccer festival has drawn Hmong players from as far as Europe and Asia. The team Hmong France won first place in 2012.

The tournament this year is smaller than in years past, partly as a result of concerns about its length cutting into game time. Its happened where instead of playing 30 minutes each half, theyve shortened down the halves, said longtime player Many Tha Khamvongsouk.

A new rule that was briefly instituted this year sought to bar players unless they had competed in another Hmong soccer tournament in the past or had at one time helped the Hmong community, according to the Suab Hmong News website.

The rule, which struck participants as vague, met with criticism and has since been dropped, according to Tzianeng Vang, the chief executive officer of the festival. Another rule reportedly remains in effect limiting the number of non-Asians on the field to three players.

Many Khamvongsouk, who is Laotian, has been competing in the Hmong soccer festival since he moved to the Twin Cities in 1997, and he acknowledges that it hasnt always been easy fitting in.

It is difficult, but I guess I break the barrier, he said with a laugh. Theres always room to make friends with people of other races. … Why do we need to segregate people?

Nevertheless, he points to Hmong soccer as a major reason he lives in the metro. Better known by his Laotian nickname Tha to fans, he moved to Minnesota from Ohio to play for the Twin Stars, one of the countrys better-known Hmong teams.

With the Twin Stars, he went on to win five J4 championships. The teams name now adorns Minnesota TwinStars Academy, a racially diverse year-round soccer club and training program based in Maple Grove. Many Khamvongsouk, 41, coaches boys 12 and younger for the club.

Even the 40-and-older division that debuted at the J4 tournament two years ago is getting crowded. At least 16 teams are expected this weekend, more than double the number of its opening year.

WEIGHT-LIFTING

As a teenager, Pheng Her got in shape for weight-lifting competitions by attaching milk jugs to bars in his basement.

He did pull-ups on a water pipe and bench presses off a cooler to train for his first competition at 16.

He spent his teen years competing as a bodybuilder. His last competition was in June 2012, when he took third place in the mens middleweight division.

Now 24, Pheng Her wants to teach other Hmong — especially the young — the importance of a healthy lifestyle. He co-owns a Hmong gym called Lost Breed that will have a booth at J4.

We want to open young people to the idea of exploring different ways to be active, whether it be traditional or nontraditional sports — even if its just walking, he said.

The Hmong community has to be more intentional about staying healthy now, he said.

Back in the homeland, we were more out and about. We were farmers. We were out there working in the fields. When we came here and dont have to do that and food is more readily available, … we dont really realize whats happening to our bodies, he said. Now we work jobs where were not moving around as much, and were kind of more stationary. Its becoming more and more of a problem.

The gym has had an influx of clients as the next generation of Hmong sees the health issues their parents are facing as they age.

Its becoming more and more of a topic in our community to talk about, Pheng Her said.

He said he feels obligated to pass on his passion in the health field to young people, especially now that he works as a district executive in charge of 20 troops for the Boy Scouts of America.

One of his troops, all-Hmong Troop 100, will help unfurl the American flag at J4s opening ceremony.

Afterward, he will head to the Lost Breed booth where he hopes to educate festival goers on living a healthy lifestyle.

Weight-lifters will also lead talks and demonstrations on health management and training tips on one of the festivals stages from about noon to 4 pm Saturday and Sunday.

FLAG FOOTBALL

Pa Dao Lee will have her dads words ringing in her head when she takes the field this weekend at J4.

He told me to never be afraid of my opponent because the moment you are, you become the weakest link, Pa Dao Lee said. He is my biggest fan; basically it just means to let go of fear because he knows I will do well no matter what.

Pa Dao Lee will put that advice to the test today when she makes her flag football debut at J4.

The 20-year-old from Minneapolis joined local team Bellatrix about two months ago with little experience beyond throwing a football around her back yard with her brother while growing up. Though the womens team has scrimmaged once this season, today will be Pa Dao Lees first real game.

Seven female teams will battle it out in the tournament. Games begin Saturday at about 10 am and will continue Sunday starting at about 7 am The womens championship game will take place about 5:30 pm Sunday.

About 20 mens teams also will compete.

When I think about it, my hands tremble because I dont know what to expect, Pa Dao Lee said. I dont know the other teams and I dont know the strengths and weaknesses of the girl standing right in front of me, so that makes me very nervous.

Playing in the Hmong Freedom Celebration is especially rattling because Bellatrix wants to prove to out-of-state teams that it can dominate on its own turf, Pa Dao Lee said.

The team has built a good reputation and an impressive record in the roughly five years its been around, Pa Dao Lee said. Its apparently one of a few local female flag football teams.

It added about 15 new women to its roster this year after an exodus of retiring veterans. The players range in age from 16 to 28.

They practice twice a week at Evergreen Park in Brooklyn Center and watch film of their play on a third day. The women compete in a handful of tournaments a season, including J4.

Pa Dao Lee didnt know any of her teammates when she showed up for tryouts a couple months ago after seeing something on Facebook.

Now she counts one of them as her very first best friend.

I feel really bonded to these people like sisters now, Pa Dao Lee said. We just spend so much time together.

The Patrick Henry High School graduate is one of nine siblings. Her parents are from Laos but resettled in Fresno, Calif., following the Vietnam War. They moved to Minnesota about 20 years ago to connect with relatives already living in the state.

When Pa Dao Lee isnt playing football, shes working as a technician at a plastics company or shes in class at Century College. Shes hoping to become a probation officer after she graduates in 2017.

She plans to keep playing for at least a few more years.

I love it, Pa Dao Lee said. That rush, that thrill you get when you know you did your job well so the other team couldnt score … I love that feeling.

IF YOU GO

The Hmong Freedom Celebration Sport Tournament runs all day and into the evening Saturday and Sunday. Activities include food, live music and dancing, as well as various sports competitions, including soccer, volleyball, Tuj Lub, Sepak Takraw and flag football.

Admission: $5

Location: McMurray Field in Como Park, 1155 W. Jessamine Ave., St. Paul

On the web: For more information, go to bit.ly/1JCloSa

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