Thousands of people from all over Central Ohio and the Midwest will gather in Columbus to enjoy the 15th Annual Asian Festival at Franklin Park, 1777 E. Broad St., on May 23 and 24. The festival is free and open to the public.
The Asian Festival began in 1995 with a mission of showcasing Asian heritage and culture to the Central Ohio community, according to Dr. Yung-Chen Lu, one of the founders.
About 10,000 people attended the inaugural festival. Last year, a record 140,000 visitors attended.
The Asian Festival will be open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on May 23 and
11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on May 24. Admission and parking are free.
The festival will feature cultural displays, entertainment, artist demonstrations, food, health and wellness screenings and activities from 15 ethnic groups.
Every year the Festival highlights two countries. This year, the Asian Festival not only brings visitors entertainment from around the globe, but will also highlight entertainment and performances from Korea and South East Asia.
The Asian Festival is also teaming up with the Central Ohio Big Read Project. Amy Tan, author of the Joy Luck Club will be on hand at the festival to talk with guests and for a book signing.
Additional Highlights include:
• Cultural Activities – Each country will have a cultural booth display showcasing richness and cultural traditions in the multipurpose center. Throughout the day, cultural demonstrations and crafts will be featured.
• Food – Restaurants and food vendors will prepare food that spans the continent from Indonesian Skate skewers to Chinese spicy home-style noodles, green onion pancakes and Philippine fried rice and pancit.
• Entertainment – Includes classical and traditional Asian music and dance to modern styles. Groups from around the country state and locally will perform on stage at the pavilion. To help showcase the festivals’ featured countries, Pak Eun Ha, a traditional Korean drummer, will perform along with Pak Hwanyoung, a famous flute and changggo (hour-glass shaped drum) player.
• Health Pavilion – This year’s Health and Wellness Program is called “Healthy Lifestyle an ounce of Prevention.” Guests will be able to get several different types of free health screenings and talk one on one with medical health educators.
• The Asian festival is once again partnering with the Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and the Komen Race for the Cure to promote Breast Cancer Awareness. The Asian Festival will have a major presence at the Komen Race for the Cure in Downtown Columbus on May 16.
For more information, visit www.asian-festival.org.