The National Asian Heritage Festival -Fiesta Asia is a street fair held in Washington, DC in celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. The event showcases Asian art and culture with a wide array of activities including live performances by musicians, vocalists and performance artists, Pan-Asian cuisine, martial arts and lion dance demonstration, a multicultural marketplace, cultural displays and interactive activities.
Date and Times
May 16, 2009
11 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Location
Pennsylvania Avenue, NW between 3rd & 6th St.
Washington, DC
The closest Metro stations are Capitol South or Eastern Market
See Photos of Fiesta Asia
Asian Heritage Festival Highlights
- Meet Chi-Chang the Live Terracotta Warrior" from the National Geographic Museum Exhibit & a world class martial arts demo from Anji Zhang, prominent Asian martial artist.
- Entertainment on three stages featuring renowned Laotian Reggaeton singer Alex San Dinero, the international dance troupe of ancient culture of Xixia and approximately 60 performing groups from over 20 cultures.
- A parade featuring lion dances and regional cultural organizations
begins at 2:00 p.m.
- Asian delicacies will be available for purchase - fresh sugar cane juice, bulgogi, halo-halo, pastel and many more.
For more information, visit
www.asiaheritagefoundation.org.
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 percent.
