Colorado Dragon Boat Festival

Over the weekend, the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival set an attendance record. The mission of the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival is to build bridges of awareness, knowledge and understanding between the diverse Asian Pacific American (APA) communities and the general public through cultural education, leadership development, and athletic competition. Keep up the good work Denver!

Watch one of the races at the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival

Anime Expo 2008

Anime Expo 2008 kicks off today. Anime Expo 2008 is looking to be, once again, the nation’s premiere anime and manga convention of the year. Anime Expo 2008 will be held from July 3-6, 2008 at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, CA. Guests of Honor for the expo include up and coming director Masahiro Ando, legendary American voice actor David Hayter, famed POKEMON director Masamitsu Hidaka, the dynamic duo known as Jyukai, renowned animator Hiromi Kato, celebrated veteran voice actor Toshihiko Seki, the new Japanese “It-Girl” Shokotan and the legendary character designer Takada Akemi. More information can be found on the website www.anime-expo.org.

Watch the Anime Expo 2008 trailer


Watch the Anime Expo 2008 Sneak Peek

Bhutan:Land of the Thunder Dragon

Smithsonian Folklife Festival Presents Bhutan: Land of the Thunder Dragon
June 25-June 29 and July 2-6, 2008
Location: outdoors on the National Mall of the United States in Washington, D.C., by the Smithsonian Institution's Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage.

This summer, visitors to the 42nd annual Smithsonian Folklife Festival will have the rare opportunity to learn about the rich culture of the virtually unknown Kingdom of Bhutan. “Bhutan: Land of the Thunder Dragon” will examine the fascinating culture, customs and history of this isolated mountain kingdom whose king initiated a unique government policy of “Gross National Happiness.” The country is situated in the eastern Himalayas and is bordered by China and India. In a mere few hundred miles, its geography changes from low-lying, steamy jungles to some of the world’s highest peaks.

Through live demonstrations, dance and musical performances, narrative sessions and a variety of hands-on activities, the program will explore Bhutan’s rich culture, which has been preserved, in part, through its relative isolation from outside influences. The program, which will feature approximately 140 Bhutanese artists, dancers, cooks, craftspeople, carpenters, farmers and representatives of monastic life, is the largest and most comprehensive exhibition of Bhutanese life and culture ever presented outside of the kingdom. The Bhutanese delegation will be led by His Royal Highness Prince Jigyel Ugyen Wangchuck.

The Festival will be held Wednesday, June 25 through Sunday, June 29 and Wednesday, July 2 through Sunday, July 6 outdoors on the National Mall between Seventh and 14th streets. Admission is free. Festival hours are from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. each day, with such special evening events as concerts and dance parties beginning at 6 p.m.

Watch the trailer for Bhutan:Land of the Thunder Dragon

Gamblerz Crew wins 2008 R16 Korea Sparkling World BBoy Championship

Gamblerz Crew is one of the sickest b-boy crews in the world. You can see the crew in Planet B-boy and the upcoming Hype Nation. The power moves and stunts that this crew has are unmatched. Recently, they won the R16 Championships in Korea.

The R16 World B-boy Championships & Urban Arts Festival was created in 2007 as an experiment to see if through the support of the government and a nation as a whole, youth created cultures can be weaned off the need to appease and survive off the short attention span of mainstream media and corporate sponsorship. An event of massive proportions was designed to bring a spotlight to the b-boys and b-girls of the world as they celebrate in the world and culture in which they thrive.

Watch the following battles from R16
Round 3: Gamblerz Crew (Korea) vs Brazil All-star Crew (Brazil)
Round 3: Rivers Crew (Korea) vs Top 9 (Russia)
3rd vs 4th place: Rivers Crew (Korea) vs Brazil All-star Crew (Brazil)
Finals: Gamblerz Crew (Korea) vs Top 9 (Russia)

Click the playlist button on the video below to see all the videos

celebrAsian - 6th Annual Asian Heritage Festival

The celebrAsian - 6th Annual Asian Heritage Festival provides a great opportunity for participating Asian American organizations, representing many different ethnic, political, and cultural backgrounds, to showcase their events and programs to the Iowa community. Villages at the 2008 Asian Heritage Festival include: Burmese, Cambodian, Chinese, Filipino, Indian, Japanese, Korean, Laotian, Nepalese, Thai, Taidam, and Vietnamese.

Headliners include Tatum Jones, Magnetic North, Gimikk, Jade Lea, and Larry Berenguel.

6th Annual Asian Heritage Festival
State Capitol Complex - East Campus
Des Moines, IA
10am-8pm

Watch the Magnetic North music video:

Fiesta Asia 2008

Fiesta Asia is the annual Asian American Heritage Festival in the District of Columbia presented by Asia Heritage Foundation. Fiesta Asia street festival will take place on May 17th, 2008 and is free and open to the public. This kick-off event will feature an exciting array of attractions including an open market filled with an assortment of Asian merchandise, live performances, Pan-Asian cuisine, interactive displays, Manga design competition, and much more. The May 17th event follows a month-long series of activities in venues located in DC metro area.

Fiesta Asia Street Fair - May 17th
11am - 7pm
Pennsylvania Ave NW
Between 3rd and 6th Streets
Washington, DC

Watch the trailer for Fiesta Asia 2008:

4th Annual Asian Heritage Street Celebration

The 4th Annual Asian Heritage Street Celebration will be held on Saturday, May 17, 2008. With an expected attendance of 30,000 to 50,000 people, the festival will include multi-lingual booths and performances, and will be the largest Asian-themed event in the Bay Area. The venue for the Asian Heritage Street Celebration will be selected on a rotating basis, so that each of the APA enclaves in San Francisco will have the opportunity to host the event.

Date: Saturday, May 17, 2008
Time: 11 am to 6 pm
Location: San Francisco Japantown

WAtch the trailer for the 4th Annual Asian Heritage Street Celebration:

29th Annual Asian Pacific American Heritage Festival

The Coalition of Asian Pacific American hosts the 29th Annual Asian Pacific American Heritage Festival. The Heritage Festival is the largest Pan Asian outdoor event on the East Coast with live music and dance, martial arts, film screenings, children's activities, arts and crafts and over a hundred participating organizations. The event takes place this year at Dag Hammarskjold Plaza.



Watch this video about the Asian Pacific American Heritage Festival:

Plano ASIAFEST 2008

We are rounding out our Texas events with the 5th annual Plano Asian American Heritage Festival taking place at Haggard Park in Downtown Plano from 11 am to 5 pm. Activities will include demonstrations of Asian culture including Chinese calligraphy, Asian painting, traditional dances, fashion shows, musical instruments and other cultural arts. Talented artists from the local Asian community will showcase their culture and heritage to the public. This event celebrates the diverse artistic and cultural experiences of Asian-Americans. ASIAFEST ‘08 is about understanding the different spices that make up the wonderful American Melting Pot. ASIAFEST ‘08 is supported by the City of Plano, the Mayor, City Council, and their sponsors.

Dallas Asian American Youth Orchestra (DAAYO), a 35 piece string orchestra, will be performing classical music at AsiaFest. Here's a concert performance by DAAYO a few months ago:

18th annual Asian Festival in Dallas

The 18th Annual Asian Festival in Dallas is the largest celebration of Asian culture in Texas, attracting over 15,000 visitors a year. This fun, colorful and festive event will unite Asian cultures while creating a diverse marketplace featuring native arts & crafts, music, dance, food, martial arts and children’s activities. Unique cuisine from Indonesia, Korea, China, India, Laos, Vietnam, the Philippines and other countries will be sold by independent vendors. As many as 17 different Asian cultures as well as communities will be represented in the festival. The children’s area, Passport to Asia for Kids, will provide activities culturally relevant to the traditions of the arts of Asia such as origami, face painting, henna painting, jewelry making, and many more. Organized by the Greater Dallas Asian American Chamber of Commerce.

Event date: Saturday, May 3, 2008
Location: Dallas City Hall Plaza
1500 Marilla Street
Dallas, TX, 75201
Time: 11:00am -5:00pm

This event is partial sponsored by the Crow Collection of Asian Art:

8th Annual Dragon Boat Festival in Houston

In another part of Houston, they have the 8th Annual Dragon Boat Festival going on. Over 30 teams racing throughout the day with colorful entertainment, educational cultural booths, delicious cuisine, and fun games for kids and adults alike. The festival continues its 8th year paddling at the birthplace of Houston – Allen's Landing in downtown.

8th Annual Dragon Boat Festival
Saturday, May 3, 2008
9:00am - 4:30pm
Allen's Landing - Downtown Houston

Here's what to expect in the thrilling sport of dragon boat racing in Houston Texas with a 2006 clip:

We can hear the banging of the dragon boat drums already.

APA Heritage Festival in Houston

Join the Asian/Pacific American Heritage Association (APAHA) and over 5000 annual attendees at the Asian/Pacific Heritage Festival this May 3 at Miller Outdoor Theatre in Hermann Park in Houston, TX! In addition to the vibrant array of cultural performances, vendors, and booths highlighting the ethnic Asian/Pacific American diversity of Greater Houston that APAHA is known for, this year's festival will feature headlining performances by:

- JUNOON: South Asia's biggest rock bad, Junoon has sold over 25 million albums worldwide. Founded in 1990 by Salman Ahmad, a doctor by training and a rock musician by profession, Junoon was the first rock band invited to perform at the United Nations General Assembly. Prior to forming Junoon, Ahmad performed with one of Pakistan's first pop bands, Vital Signs; and now serves as a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador on HIV/AIDS.
- Lirio Vital: Internationally renowned Filipina stage, recording, and concert star and Aliw Award Winner (Best Female Vocal Performer)
- Bao Han: Celebrated Vietnamese pop star with "Lien Khuc Paris By Night" (Thuy Nga Productions)

Watch Junoon's music video Bulleya:

Here's perfomance the Bao Han din in Seattle eariler this year:

Have fun out in Houston, TX!!!

AsiaFest Austin 2008

Come and join the celebration of National Asian Pacific American Heritage Month at AsiaFest Austin 2008 on May 3, 2008 with fun, food and entertainment. AsiaFest Austin 2008, hosted by the Network of Asian American Organizations (NAAO) with the support of City of Austin, Austin Parks & Recreation Department, and Capital Metro, is part of the National Asian Pacific American Heritage month.

The event will be held from 11:00 am to 9:00 pm at the future home of Austin Asian American Resource Center at 8401, Cameron Road, Austin, TX 78754. Admission to Asia Fest Austin 2008 is FREE.

AsiaFest Austin 2008 will have a number of activities, including:
Cultural Activities - Live music, dance and cultural performances, and a mini Asian Film Festival showcasing a variety of Asian cultures.
Educational Activities – Workshops and instruction on Asian arts & crafts (face painting, henna, origami, etc.); and basic Asian language skills (learn 20 common words and phrases).
Children’s Activities – Sudoku contests; games; and Reading corner.
Food - Pan-Asian Cuisine featuring traditional Chinese, Filipino, Indian, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, and other Asian dishes.

Movies at the mini film-fest include Michael Kang’s wry teen comedy “The Motel,” the local premiere of Derek Shimoda’s “Killing of a Chinese Cookie” and Juli Kang’s musical “Damn the Past!” The film portion is sponsored by the Austin Asian American Film Foundation, which is hosting the Austin Asian America Film Festival in the fall.

Watch the trailer for "The Motel"

Asian Cultural Festival 2008

Queens Theatre in the Park celebrates Asian cultures from April 23-27. Scheduled to perform are Dulsori, Kung Eun IL& Haegumplus, Henry Cho, Seriously, Kevin So, Kristina Wong, Christine Toy Johnson, Ragamala Music & Dance Theater. Join the celebration.

Asian Cultural Festival
April 23-27
Queens Theatre in the Park, Flushing, NYC

See the commercial for the Asian Cultural Festival :

Learmore about the Asian Cultural Festival