Category Archives: iowa

2012 CelebrAsian Heritage Festival in Iowa

2012 CelebrAsian Heritage Festival in Iowa

Want to become a certified world record holder? At Iowa’s 2012 CelebrAsian Heritage Festival, visitors will have the opportunity to be part of the record for most people simultaneously eating a fortune cookie — with a chance to win great prizes.

The 10th annual CelebrAsian will be Saturday, May 12 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the State Capitol Complex — East Campus (E Grand between E 13th and E 14th Street). The event includes food, cultural traditions, education, entertainment, martial arts, health and wellness activities, and art and admission is free.

The record attempt will take place at 1 p.m. around the stage in the East Campus area. To participate, visitors will need to register and receive their fortune cookie by 12:50 p.m. Registration will begin after opening ceremonies at the Entertainment Tent at 10 a.m. Visitors will need to check their fortunes after participating in the record to receive their prizes.

With an expected attendance of more than 40,000 people, CelebrAsian is the largest Asian American event in Iowa. Visitors of all ages can immerse themselves in a wide array of activities including:

family art and children’s activities;
health screenings and wellness activities;
cooking demonstrations;
martial arts competition and performances;
live music (provided by national and local talent;
learning center;
children’s inflatables.

New this year, attendees will have an opportunity to participate in an interactive scavenger hunt, attend the Japanese Sakura Tree Ceremony, meet and greet Hello Kitty, and dance in a flash mob. Numerous sponsors, vendors, and Asian communities from around the state will come together to help attendees experience the rich diversity of the Asian community in Iowa.

CelebrAsian 2012 promo #1

CelebrAsian 2012 promo #2

2009 Celebrasian in Iowa

Each May Asian American communities unite in Iowa to celebrate Asian Pacific Heritage Month during a daylong festival known as CelebrAsian: The Asian Heritage Festival. Join the celebrAsian this year on Saturday, May 16, 2009, at the Iowa State Capitol, East Campus, in Des Moines, Iowa from 10 am to 8 pm. Since its inception seven years ago, CelebrAsian: The Annual Asian Heritage Festival has steadily become one of the year’s most anticipated events. It brings together people across the Midwest to experience Asia in Iowa. (Sweet!!! Midwest Asian American represent!!)

CelebrAsian is the largest Asian American event in Iowa, showcasing cultural exhibits, history, food, performance artists, sports, martial arts, children’s activities, and other family-friendly activities. CelebrAsian is organized around distinct Asian “villages,” representing twelve distinct Asian communities that live in Iowa. Villages include: Cambodian, Chinese, Filipino, Hmong, Indian, Japanese, Korean, Laos, Nepalese, Taidam, Vietnamese, and Thai. Each village showcases the food, culture, history, arts, and crafts indigenous to their culture.



You can see a list of performances here. The headlining act is Legaci, a Filipino boy band out of the San Francisco Bay Area. If you want to request a song for them to sing, you can make request by calling Legaci at (510) 648-3832. Also check out their MySpace page here. (FYI – For the 2008 celebrasian, Tatum Jones and Magnetic North performed.)

Legaci singing “cupid” by 112

Join the Celebrasian

Over the last six years, the CelebrAsian Asian Heritage Festival has been the largest and fastest growing Asian American event in the State of Iowa. It has grown from 10,000 attendees to over 40,000 drawing people from throughout and outside of Iowa making it one of Iowa’s premier festivals annually. Meet the 2009 CelebrAsian Leadership Team! Join them Saturday, May 16, 2009 for the 7th Annual Asian Heritage Festival. The word is that Legaci will be the headlining act for 2009. Legaci is a Filipino R&B group from the San Francisco Bay Area. Headliners last year included Tatum Jones and Magnetic North.

MidWest Asian Americans REPRESENT!!!



Join the Celebrasian

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: