克利夫兰及周边地区消息
　

15th Cleveland Asian Festival:

Celebrating AsiaTown’s Growth

by Wayne A. Wong
    Celebrating its 15th year, the annual Cleveland Asian Festival - held May 18-19, 2024 - continued the mission of celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, boosting economic growth and raising awareness of Cleveland’s AsiaTown neighborhood. This milestone anniversary expanded its footprint to accommodate a record of nearly 50,000 attendees, underscoring its growing popularity and significance. The 2024 festival featured 30 Asian food and drink vendors, a 50% increase, and saw 25% more performances with 48 stage events, including 14 new acts showcasing cultural dance, music, and martial arts.
    Since its inception, the Festival has been dedicated to celebrating the rich cultural heritage of the AAPI community and it has become a cornerstone and much anticipated event of Northeast Ohio, drawing diverse crowds and fostering a sense of community and inclusion.
    The two tent-covered stages featured a packed schedule of amazing cultural dance, music, and martial arts featuring groups from all over Ohio. Engaging stage events included the Asian-Pop CAF Dance competition, the Asian Trivia Challenge, and the Best Food Competition, which all added to the celebration. The Asian-Pop competition was wildly popular attracting dance crews from throughout Ohio, with 5K Dance Crew winning $1000 in 1st place, Florecer winning $500 in 2nd, and Top Aces winning $250 in 3rd.
Authentic Asian Food continued to be a major draw, with 30 amazing food and drink businesses permitting a culinary journey through Asia. To spotlight the food options, the Festival held the inaugural “Best Food of CAF” contest, with Khaao Macha Indian Fusion Food Truck in 1st place, Parilya in 2nd, and Tita Flora’s in 3rd.
    The Cleveland Asian Festival has consistently supported local AAPI businesses, artists, and organizations, fostering economic growth and promoting cultural exchange. Surveys indicated that ~25% of attendees each year, or about 10,000 people, were first-time visitors to AsiaTown, many of whom are likely to return throughout the year. An estimated $2 million was spent during the festival weekend, but the event's long-term economic impact is even more significant, with increased patronage of AsiaTown businesses year-round contributing to the area's steady growth and popularity.
The festival’s success is a result of collaborative efforts of the community with an estimated 120 volunteers, more than 130 vendors and exhibitors, dozens of sponsors, and over 500 performers and artists. The Festival was organized by co-founders and co-producers Johnny Wu and Lisa Wong, along with Executive Committee members Vi Huynh (co-founder), Mike Mendoza, Debbie Yue, Wayne Wong, Oanh Powell, Karis Tseng, and Gabriel Kramer who all worked tirelessly to ensure the event's success.
    The World Marketplace boasted over 100 vendors, offering business opportunities for AAPI clothing and merchandise vendors. The Health Pavilion provided free health screenings, addressing the needs of the community and emphasizing the festival’s commitment to wellness.
    The Festival is made possible through the generosity of Distinguished Sponsors JACK Entertainment, and Cleveland Foundation, along Presenting Sponsors: the City of Cleveland, Cleveland Public Power, Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District, Ward 7 Councilwoman Stephanie Howse, the AIDS Taskforce of Greater Cleveland, and OCA Greater Cleveland, which sponsored all performances and the Asian-Pop contest through a grant from Cuyahoga Arts and Culture. Many other sponsors also played essential roles in the festival's success.
    Keeping with tradition, the festival kicked off with the Kwan Family Lion Dance, a customary performance believed to bring luck to auspicious occasions in Asian culture. The event was hosted by Lead Master of Ceremonies (MC) Wayne Wong, who was joined by local celebrity MC Lynna Lai from WKYC Channel 3, and Gabriel Kramer from WVIZ - Ideastream. Festival mascots CAF Panda, Wu Shu the Dragon, Lao Hu the Tiger, and Monkey King Robot were popular among guests, taking photos and dancing throughout the event.
   The Cleveland Asian Festival was a huge success adding to the hundreds of thousands that have enjoyed the AsiaTown spotlight event over the past 15 years. Thank you to everyone who attended and supported the Festival, making it the Best Showcase of Asian Food and Culture for 15 years!
Photos from Wayne Wong, Alex Wong, Mark Horning:
CAF leaders, Mayors & Councilwoman
Asian-Pop Dance Competition Winners
Kwan Family Lion Dance kick-off
Perfect Weather
　

引人矚目的一家人，父子倆在第15屆亞洲節的不同舞臺上主持着亞洲節活動，他們一家人給克利夫蘭的唐人街帶新動力!