St. Paul’s Karen community next week will be welcoming in the year 2758.

In 2000, a trickle of refugees from southern Myanmar — formerly known as Burma — began settling in St. Paul’s North End, Roseville and Maplewood. Within five years the trickle had become a stream, and the Karen Organization of Minnesota estimates some 14,000 ethnic Karen people now call Minnesota home.

On Tuesday, the community will show off some of its culture and talents during a New Year’s Day celebration from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Washington Technology Magnet School,1495 Rice St.

The event is free and open to anyone, but don’t call it a 2019 inaugural — on the Karen calendar, which begins more than 700 years before the birth of Christ, it will be the year 2758.

The schedule features a program from 10 a.m. to noon, followed by men and women’s volleyball tournaments, a karaoke competition for kids, raffle prizes, and an improv competition. Maplewood Mayor Nora Slawik, recently picked by Gov.-elect Tim Walz to be Met Council chair, has been invited to share remarks.

More information about the “2758 Karen New Year Celebration” is online at mnkaren.org.