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

    

Sree Sreenath PhD inducted into the Cleveland International Hall of Fame.

Photos and videos of Sree Sreenath PhD being inducted into the Cleveland International Hall of Fame.

Sree Sreenath

Ramesh Shah of the Association of Indian Physicians of Northern Ohio
inducts Sree Sreenath PhD, into the Cleveland International Hall of Fame.

Top 5 list of groups visited in January

Always interesting to see which pages get the most visits in a month.

The Top 5 groups with the most visitors in January 2018 on ClevelandPeople.Com were: Indian, Polish, Chinese, Lithuanian and Hungarian.

Top 5 groups

It's always interesting to see which of the 100+ ethnic groups will attract the most visitors in a month.

October's results were fairly predictable though that is not always the case.

The Top 5 groups with the most visitors in October 2017 on ClevelandPeople.Com were: Italian, Indian, Irish, Polish and Slovak.

Lithuanian was a close #6

Taj Express Bollywood Musical Review - Win Free Tickets

A beautiful actress, a villain, a secret prince, 2000 elegant costumes and all the extravaganza, escapism and romance that is "Bollywood": TAJ EXPRESS is a thrilling new "Dance Romance" direct from Film City-Mumbai. For the first time in Bollywood musical history, the cream of India's film talent dance in sparkling costumes within a lavish set, that seamlessly combines music, dance and film on stage March 15 at 7:30 pm at Playhouse Square’s State Theatre.

TAJ EXPRESS is the love story between the beautiful Kareena, an actress, and Arjun, who is a prince disguised as a handsome hero of the streets. The two escape on a thrilling adventure that includes fight scenes, celebrity parties and an opulent Indian wedding…all the while pursued by a villain who wishes to destroy them both! Featured in this turbo-charged production is a fusion of east and west, classical dance steps, impossibly sexy moves, traditional silks and turbans with leather and Lycra, all accompanied by pulsating modern music, played on the finest Indian classical instruments.

A joyfully uplifting show, TAJ EXPRESS is a true “Masala” musical, a spicy mixture of action, comedy, melodrama, songs and thrilling dance sequences.

Tickets for TAJ EXPRESS are $65, $45 & $20, on sale at playhousesquare.org, 216-241-6000 and the Playhouse Square Ticket Office.

Enter to win free tickets

Naga Nritya (Snake Dance) at India Republic Day

The Federation of India Community Associations of Northeast Ohio (FICA) hosted a celebration for 68th Republic Day of India at the Rainforest in the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo.

Dhanya Rao and Debolina Ghosh from the Nritya Geetanjali School of Dance performed a Naga Nrityam Snake Dance choreographed by Shoba Narayan.


Indians in Cleveland

Association of Indian Physicians of Northern Ohio Medical Yatra

Association of Indian Physicians of Northern Ohio (AIPNO) was founded in 1983 as a non-profit organization of physicians of Indian origin in Northern Ohio.

With a membership of over 300 physicians who meet regularly for educational, charitable and social events, the organization provides an opportunity to make meaningful contributions to the local community and to make friendships that last.

AIPNO also provides service and aid to undeserved areas and disaster affected sites. The Medical YATRA Mission is to Educate, Prevent and Save Lives!

More on the AIPNO Medical Yatras

Experience of Indian student in school

Nupur Goel is in the 11th Grade at Gilmour Academy.  She was the 2016 Grand Prize winner of the Stop the Hate essay program of the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage.  She spoke on a panel run by the Maltz Museum and Global Cleveland titled Begin the Conversation: Cleveland's Immigrant Communities Today: Pan-Asian Community.  She started a club to help other students learn about her background and culture.


More of the Asian Community Panel

Immigrants to want to settle together

Nupur Goel is in the 11th Grade at Gilmour Academy.  She was the 2016 Grand Prize winner of the Stop the Hate essay program of the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage.  She spoke on a panel run by the Maltz Museum and Global Cleveland titled Begin the Conversation: Cleveland's Immigrant Communities Today: Pan-Asian Community.  Her parents emigrated from Indian over 20 years ago.  She said it makes sense for immigrants wanting to stick with their communities.  The drastic change in emigrating leads to people wanting to be with people like them when they get here.


More of the Asian Community Panel

Dr Mohan Bafna inducted in Cleveland International Hall of Fame

Suresh Bafna read the acceptance speech for his father Dr. Mohan Bafna who was just inducted into the 2016 class of the Cleveland International Hall of Fame.

http://clevelandinternationalhalloffame.com/ and http://www.clevelandpeople.com/groups/asian-indians/asian-indians.htm

Suresh Bafna inducts Dr Mohan Bafna into Hall of Fame

Suresh Bafna inducted his father Dr. Mohan Bafna into the 2016 class of the Cleveland International Hall of Fame. http://clevelandinternationalhalloffame.com/ and http://www.clevelandpeople.com/groups/asian-indians/asian-indians.htm

Debbie Hanson introduces Suresh Bafna

Debbie Hanson of ClevelandPeople.Com introduced Suresh Bafna at the induction ceremony for the 2016 class of the Cleveland International Hall of Fame. Suresh was about to induct his father Mohan Bafna. http://clevelandinternationalhalloffame.com/ and http://www.clevelandpeople.com/groups/asian-indians/asian-indians.htm

Kala Art Show

The Indian community rallied around eight of their finest artists in the 2nd Annual Kala Art Show held Sunday, November 16th at the Ahuja Medical Center in Beachwood.

Artists with show organizers Poonam Punwani and Mona Alag

See more from the Kala Art Show

Sewa International

In the ancient Indian language of Sanskrit, Sewa means Service - a unique concept of Service - Selfless Efforts for Welfare of All. Sewa International USA is a Hindu faith-based humanitarian non-profit service organization. Their vision is to increase civic engagement of the communities in the United States to volunteer and promote volunteering.


On November 15, 2014 a sold-out crowd attended an event in Cleveland to learn more about Sewa International, recognize super volunteers and to support the cause - specifically the Family Services project.

Dr. Sree Sreenath, President of Sewa International

Photos and videos of the Sewa International event

17th Annual Cleveland Asian Catholic Mass and Gathering

About 1000 people celebrated the 17^th Annual Cleveland Asian Catholic Mass and Gathering on Sunday, October 5 hosted by the Asian Ministry of the Diocese of Cleveland.

The cultural and ethnic diversity of the Asian Catholic communities assembled at the Mass was reflected throughout the celebration. Members of the various Asian communities came together with their own traditions, dressed in colorful ethnic clothes: shimmering saris, kimonos, karawangs, hanboks, barongs, and ao dai.

The entrance procession included Vietnamese drums. During the Mass there was an incense ceremony by the Vietnamese, and the Indian aarti. Hymns were sung by the choirs in various Asian languages: Tagalog (Filipino), Korean, Vietnamese and Hindi (Indian).

The readings and the prayers of the faithful were also said in various Asian languages.

Photos and videos of the Asian Catholic Gathering

Indian Holi Festival in Cleveland

FICA, Cleveland State University Center for International Services and Programs (CISP) and Indian Student Association (ISA) hosted a Holi celebration in Cleveland at CSU on March 29, 2014.

The "Spring Festival" was greeted with a surprise blizzard of more than 5" of snow but people braved the elements for the good food, camaraderie and especially the performances - both traditional and modern.

Photos and videos of Holi in Cleveland

Kalyani Veturi dance students 

Diwali in Cleveland

Deepavali, or the "festival of lights", is one of the most important festivals of the year for Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and others. The name "Diwali" or "Divali" is a contraction of deepavali which translates into "row of lamps".


Federation of India Community Associations (FICA) celebrated Deepavali 2013 on Friday, November 8th in the Rotunda of Cleveland City Hall with music, dance, camaraderie and Mayor Frank Jackson. The Indian flag flew atop City Hall.

More from Diwali 2013 in Cleveland

Asian Indians at Cleveland Birthday

The Cleveland Asian-Indian community was well-represented at Cleveland's 216th birthday party.  

They had a booth for both FICA and India Festival USA, performed a traditional Karagattam Dance and a Bollywood Dance and participated in the fashion show.  

Asian Indians at Cleveland Birthday party

Cultural Heritage

Most ethnic and cultural communities are seeing it happen. Many of the people who have direct experience with events, formations of groups, key people and so on are aging or have passed on.

The memories and artifacts need to be captured and preserved or they could be lost forever.

In Cleveland, the Asian Indian Heritage Project is working to collect and preserve these memories and artifacts.

On a broader scale, the South Asian American Digital Archive (SAADA) is working on this nationally.

The Asian Indian community in Cleveland recently hosted the president of SAADA, Samip Mallick, who explained some of the archive processes.

It's something that every group should consider.


Details, photos and videos of the the Asian Indian Heritage Project event