Sat 5/20 @ 11AM-7PM

Sun 5/21 @ 11AM-7PM

Once upon a time, “Asian” in Cleveland meant a one-block “Chinatown” and a handful of chop suey restaurants. Now, for the 14^th year, the area around East 30^th and Payne will turn into an international celebration of Cleveland’s increasingly diverse Asian cultures when the Cleveland Asian Festival returns for a two-day weekend.

The festival, which started in 2010, reflects that diversity, in food, fashion, performances, and culture. It offers more than 20 food vendors and trucks with a array of tastes from China, India, Japan, Vietnam, Korea and even Himalayan. Two stages feature dance, music, martial arts and other performances and demonstrations (and a big Asian pop competition Saturday!) and the marketplace’s 100-plus vendors provide an almost overwhelming amount of shopping opportunities. Bring your gift list! In addition, there are health screenings, information tables from area organizations (usually—hopefully—including the Board of Elections, registering people to vote in time for the August 8 election), and contests and games of various kinds, ranging dance to chess to Sumo wrestling.

There’s no admission fee. To get more information and a schedule, go to clevelandasianfestival.org/2023/.