3rd Annual Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Festival
Commemorating Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, a potpourri of Asian artistic talent, culinary delights, and imported crafts will take center stage in May 17 at the third annual Fiesta Asia - National Asian Heritage Festival along Pennsylvania Avenue NW between 3rd Street and 6th Street in the District of Columbia from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
During the May 17th Grand Celebration, area residents will have the opportunity to savor the many flavors of Asian culture. Participants of all ages will enjoy an array of activities, including live performances from overseas musicians, vocalists and performance artists, Pan Asian cuisine, a multicultural marketplace, interactive demonstrations and displays, health screenings, martial arts performances and exhibit of traditional and contemporary Asian art .
This year’s festival highlights a diversity of international participants including musical groups like Daryo from Tajikistan and Songspell from Philippines, Korean Master Calligrapher Koo Suk Ko and a Chinese painting team from Beijing Xu Beihong Memorial Museum. Renowned Asian comedian Dan Nainan will be performing at the festival. Over 60 performing groups representing 20 plus cultures are performing throughout the day.
The parade featuring lion dances, Ati-atihan and regional cultural organizations starts at 2:00 pm. For the first time at the street fair, three Central Asian countries -Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan will share their culture & arts. Other participating cultures include India, Malaysia, Philippines, Laos, Thailand, Indonesia, Myanmar, China, Korea, Japan, Mongolia, Taiwan, Vietnam, Hawaii, and Turkey.
Asian delicacies and dishes will be available for purchase including Kazakh baursak bread, Laotian bamboo sticky rice, fresh sugar cane juice, Turkish baklava, Thai crispy fish sticks, Taiwanese shaved ice and many more! Participants can also learn to bamboo dance, weave textiles, consult with a palm reader, have names written in an Asian language, cook unique Asian cuisine, get health tests, shop for exotic crafts, taste Asian beer, among many more activities.
Admission to Fiesta Asia Street Fair is FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. In addition to the May 17th street fair, DC metro area residents can explore and experience a variety of cultural activities sponsored by area businesses and associations including activities planned by Friends of the Zoo, Embassies of Kazakhstan and Tajikistan, Asia Society, the DC Asian Pacific American Film Festival, Smithsonian Freer and Sackler Gallery, Galerie Brigitte, Dragonfly Design and Deco and Taiwanese American Federation. For more information, visit www.asiaheritage.org.
About Asia Heritage Foundation
The Asia Heritage Foundation is a not-for-profit organization created to share, celebrate, and promote the diversity of Asian heritage and culture through the arts, traditions, education, and cuisine as represented in the Washington metropolitan area. Asia Heritage Foundation has no political or religious affiliation but is a multi-ethnic cultural organization. Asia Heritage Foundation is run and operated by an Executive Director, a volunteer board and professional advisors. Additional information can be found at www.asiaheritage.org.
About Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
Asian Pacific American Heritage Month is celebrated in May to commemorate the contributions of people of Asian and Pacific Islander descent in the United States. During the month, Asian Americans around the nation celebrate with community festivals, government-sponsored activities, and educational activities for students. Congress passed a joint Congressional Resolution in 1978 to commemorate Asian American Heritage Week during the first week of May. This date was chosen because two important anniversaries occurred during this time: the arrival of the first Japanese immigrants in America on May 7, 1843 and the completion of the transcontinental railroad (by many Chinese laborers) on May 10, 1869. Congress later voted to expand it from a week long to a month long celebration. According to the 2000 Census Bureau, the Asian-American community is the fastest growing group in the DC Metro Area. Over the last decade, the number of Asians who have relocated to the DC area has increased by approximately 30%.
Photos: asiaheritage.org
Source: Fiesta Asian 2008 Press Release
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