Cleveland Asian Festival 2023

 Over 45,000 people attended the Cleveland Asian Festival (CAF) on Saturday May 20 and Sunday May 21, 2023.  The AsiaTown neighborhood was packed with families and people of all ages to enjoy the annual festival that kicks off summer in Cleveland.

Since inception in 2010 the Cleveland Asian Festival highlights Cleveland’s AsiaTown, Diversity, and Asian Culture in Northeast Ohio.  It was organized in 2010 by volunteer community leaders to celebrate Cleveland’s diversity and Asian Pacific American Heritage month (May).    This signature event defines AsiaTown and brings tens of thousands, including many first-timers, to the neighborhood. 

Surveys show that a large percentage of visitors will return to AsiaTown to shop, dine and enjoy the neighborhood.  By being in AsiaTown, CAF has led to the creation of new businesses in the area as well as neighborhood beautification with arts and cultural displays and decorations throughout the district.

Attendees enjoyed two stages of performances that featured traditional and modern music and dance as well as martial arts.  The Asian Pop Dance competition was especially popular with the younger attendees. The Trivia Contest had an Asian theme.

Asian Pacific American Heritage Month is an important recognition of the contributions of the AAPI community and a chance to stand together against recent anti-Asian sentiments.  CAF attracts the Asian community but also groups representing the numerous diverse ethnic heritages of Cleveland. 

The CAF team is already working on plans to celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month at the Cleveland Asian Festival next May 18 and 19, 2024.  

Here is our coverage of CAF in case you missed any.

 

The main page is at https://www.clevelandpeople.com/groups/asian/2023/caf-2023.htm

 

That branches to 3 photo pages:

 

https://www.clevelandpeople.com/groups/asian/2023/caf-2023p.htm

 

https://www.clevelandpeople.com/groups/asian/2023/caf-2023p2.htm

 

and https://www.clevelandpeople.com/groups/asian/2023/caf-2023p3.htm

 

There are also performance pages:

 

Kwan Lion Dance  https://www.clevelandpeople.com/groups/chinese/2023/kwan-family-lion-dance.htm

 

Stellar Acrobatics https://www.clevelandpeople.com/groups/chinese/2023/caf-stellar-acrobatics.htm

 

Rosa Lee group  https://www.clevelandpeople.com/groups/chinese/2023/chinese-instruments.htm

 

Yume Daiko  https://www.clevelandpeople.com/groups/japanese/2023/caf-yume-daiko.htm

 

Sho-Jo-Ji https://www.clevelandpeople.com/groups/japanese/2023/caf-sho-jo-ji.htm

 

Indian dance https://www.clevelandpeople.com/groups/asian-indians/2023/caf-indian-dance.htm