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The Cleveland Asian Festival (CAF) highlights AsiaTown, Cleveland’s diversity and the Asian culture in Northeast Ohio. It is also to celebrate the Asian Pacific American Heritage Month in May.
- Voted “Best Festival “ 2015 Cleveland Hot List
- “Excellence in Neighborhood Marketing Award” – Live Cleveland
- CAF has achieved “must attend status” – ClevelandPeople.com
- Voted “Best New Ethnic Festival For 2010” – Cleveland Scene Magazine
This annual festival offers free admission. It also has free parking and free shuttle bus rides to and from the festival. In the Health Pavilion inside Asia Plaza, there will be free health screenings. There will be free games and activities.
The festival will have two outdoor stages. Live entertainment will include cultural performances and demonstrations. Enjoy the Colors of Asia Fashion Show (free). And you can enter the Asian Pop Dance Competition for free.
Entertainment
Entertainment lineup on the JACK stage (raised) on Saturday, May 20, 2023
- 11:30 am – Kwan Family Lion Dance (Chinese)
- 12 pm – CAF Welcome & Kick Off
- 12:30 pm – Stellar Acrobatic Dance Academy (Chinese)
- 1 pm – Unbyul, vocalist (Korean American)
- 1:15 pm – Ling yun Rising Star Gymnastics Dance School (Chinese)
- 2 pm – SAMSKAR Odissi Classical Dance Style (Indian)
- 2:45 pm – Chinese Flutes – Kecheng Liu
- 3:15 pm – Adri Dance Academy Odissi (Indian)
- 3:30 pm – Amanda Chow, vocalist (Chinese American)
- 4 pm – Janice Liu Erhu Studio (Taiwanese)
- 4:30 pm – CAF Asia Pop Dance Competition
Saturday, Cleveland Foundation Stage (Flat)
- 12:30 pm – Integrated School of Internal Studies Martial Arts
- 1 pm – Cleveland AsiaTown Square Dance Team (Chinese)
- 1:30 pm – Sree Mayuri Dance Academy – South India Classical Dance
- 2 pm – Shaolin Kung Fu Institute Martial Arts
- 2:30 pm – Pacific Paradise Entertainment – Hawaiian, Tahitian and Polynesian
- 3:15 pm – Cleveland Contemporary Chinese Culture Association
- 4 pm – Natyanjali Odissi (Indian)
- 4:15 pm – Westlake Chinese School – Cultural performances & Kung Fu
- 5 pm – Ryu Keaki (RYU JAPAN) vocalist
- 5:30 pm – Hanaka Kabuki Dance (Japanese)
Sunday, JACK Stage
- 12:45 pm – Rosa Lee & YanPing Ye Traditional musical instruments (Chinese)
- 1:15 pm – Sho-Jo-Ji Japanese dancers
- 1:45 pm – Natyu Niketon (Indian)
- 2:00 pm – Yuma Daiko Drum Performance (Japanese)
- 2:45 pm – CAF Trivia Challenge
- 4:00 pm – Nartanam Dance Academy Classical Dance (Japanese)
- 4:30 pm – Asian Pop Dance Encore & Invitational Performances
Sunday, Cleveland Foundational Stage
- 1:00 pm – Glory Drum Team of Cleveland (Chinese)
- 1:15 pm – Shaolin Kung Fu Institute Martial Arts
- 1:45 pm – Lingyun Rising Star Gymnastics Dance School (Chinese)
- 2:30 pm – Pacific Paradise Entertainment – Hawaiian, Tahitian and Polynesian
- 3:30 pm – Dance by Nikhil Medley (Indian)
- 3:45 pm – Coiling Dragon Chinese Kung Fu School
- 4:15 pm – Dream Band Cleveland (Chinese)
- 4:45 pm – Philippine American Society of Ohio Bamboo Dance
- 5:00 pm – Janice Liu Erhu Studio (Taiwanese)
- 5:30 pm – Cleveland Bollywood Dance School (Indian)
World Marketplace
There will be a World Marketplace with over one hundred merchandise and service vendors offering a one of a kind shopping experience.
Vendors include
- A Sprinkle Of Seoul
- Cleveland Cavaliers
- Vinyl Record Art
- Say Yes Cleveland
- Potassium
- Nature Green Corp.
- Leaf Home Water Solutions
- Head Art Works
- Global Ambassadors Language Academy (GALA)
- Eastland Food Corp.
- Cleveland Water Buggy
- B&B Creative Designs
- Akron Henna Art
- First Federal Lakewood
- Geeks’ Bits
- JACK Cleveland Casino
- Mansfield Buick
- Native Crafts
- Polynesian Council of Cleveland
- Taiwan Center For Mandarin Learning Cleveland
- Shaolin Kung Fu Institute
- Lucky’s Charms & Supplies
- Mazda of Wooster
- MotivAsians
- Kay-Em Apparel
- Great Lakes JETAA
- My Turquoise Kitten
- Lila Rose Haircessories
and many more.
25+ local restaurants and caterers are offering authentic Asian cuisine. The Asian Food Court & Food Truck Lane will include
- Banh Mi & Noodles/AsiaTown Center
- Blaisan Fusion
- Dr. Hibachi
- Bubble Time Mobile Kitchen
- GREATKUP COFFEE
- Himalayan Restaurant
- Hunan Coventry
- Ice or Rice Cafe
- Li Wah – King Wah Restaurant
- P & P Eggrolls
- Kona Ice of Westlake
- Ono Turo Turo
- Parilya
- Roost
- Siam Cafe
- The Honeypot
- Red Bean Bakes
- Thai It Up Food Truck
Asian Food
If you like the food at the Asian Festival and want to know more about the different cuisines, try these cookbooks. And use our links to see how you can save money on them.
- Asian Cookbook For Beginners for Thai, Chinese, Japanese and Korean food by Emma Yang and Maiki Blanc
- Noods: 80 slurpable noodle recipes from Asia by Smith Street Books
- 101 Asian Dishes You Need To Cook by Jet Tila
Or you can enjoy Asian cuisine at the 10 Best Asian Restaurants in Cleveland as chosen by the users of TripAdvisor.
- Pho Thang Cafe
- Siam Cafe
- Tyfun Thai Bistro
- Banana Blossom
- Superior Pho
- Saigon Restaurant & Bar
- Li Wah Restaurant
- Map of Thailand
- Shuhei Restaurant of Japan
- Emperor’s Palace Chinese Restaurant
Cleveland Hotels
If you’d like to visit Cleveland for the Asian Festival, you should consider these hotels. They are offering discounts which can save you money on your stay.
