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Iowa Asian Alliance Commemorates Asian Pacific Heritage Month With CelebrAsian: The Eighth Annual Asian Heritage Festival

Des Moines, IA (May 5, 2010)—Each May, the Iowa Asian Alliance (IAA) unites Asian American communities 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 15, 2010, at the Iowa State Capitol, East Campus, in Des Moines, Iowa, from 10 am to 8 pm. Since its inception eight years ago, CelebrAsian: The Annual Asian Heritage Festival has become one of the year's most anticipated events and the unofficial kick-off of the summer season in Central Iowa. CelebrAsian brings together people across the Midwest to experience Asia in Iowa. 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.

"The Iowa Asian Alliance is extremely pleased to have the opportunity to showcase the cultural traditions and celebrate the rich diversity of the many distinctive Asian communities in Iowa" said Christopher McDonald, Chairman of the Iowa Asian Alliance. "CelebrAsian is a vehicle for our communities to reflect and promote a connected, informed, and diverse Iowa." added McDonald.

CelebrAsian is organized around distinct Asian "villages," representing thirteen distinct Asian communities that live in Iowa. "Villages" at this year's event include: Cambodian, Chinese, Filipino, Hmong, Indian, Japanese, Karen, Korean, Laos, Nepalese, Taidam, Vietnamese, and Thai. Each village showcases the food, culture, history, arts, and crafts from that community.

Participants of all ages will enjoy a wide array of family-friendly activities, including Asian cuisine, martial arts performances and competition, cooking demonstrations, exhibits and sale of traditional and contemporary Asian crafts, and live musical performances.

For more information about the Iowa Asian Alliance and CelebrAsian, please visit our websites at www.iowaasianalliance.com and www.celebrAsian.org or contact IAA at 515-282-8192. Admission to CelebrAsian: The Eighth Annual Asian Heritage Festival is free to the general public due to the generous support from leading companies and organizations in Iowa including:
  • Festival Co-Host—The Polk County Board of Supervisors
  • Festival Champions—Lite 104.1, Mediacom, & Prairie Meadows
  • Festival Leaders—Bravo Greater Des Moines, The Des Moines Register, John Deere, Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Principal Financial Group, Wellmark BlueCross BlueShield
  • Village Sponsors—American Family Insurance, Bankers Trust, Citi, Drake University, Faegre & Benson LLP, Hummel's Nissan, Hy-Vee, ING, Nationwide Insurance, Rockwell Collins, University of Northern Iowa, Wal-Mart, and Wells Fargo.
About Iowa Asian Alliance

IAA is a nonprofit organization established in 2002 by business, community, and civic leaders. The mission of IAA is to unite Iowa's diverse Asian and Asian-American communities for the purpose of fostering economic growth and community development within the state of Iowa. IAA's vision is to create an Iowa in which Asians and Asian-Americans are an integral part of a vibrant and prosperous community. IAA represents and serves the following Asian ethnic groups: Burma, Cambodia, China, Hmong, India, Japan, Korea, Lao, Nepal, Philippines, Taiwan, Taidam, Thailand, and Vietnam.

CelebrAsian Facts and Figures

What: CelebrAsian: The Eighth Annual Asian Heritage Festival.

When: Saturday, May 15, 2010, 10 am - 8 pm (rain or shine)

Where: Iowa State Capitol Complex—East Campus, Des Moines, Iowa
Who: CelebrAsian is sponsored by the Iowa Asian Alliance and made possible only because of the generous support of its sponsors including:
  • Festival Co-Host—The Polk County Board of Supervisors
  • Festival Champions—Lite 104.1, Mediacom, & Prairie Meadows
  • Festival Leaders—Bravo Greater Des Moines, The Des Moines Register, John Deere, Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Principal Financial Group, Wellmark BlueCross BlueShield
  • Village Sponsors—American Family Insurance, Bankers Trust, Citi, Drake University, Faegre & Benson LLP, Hummel's Nissan, Hy-Vee, ING, Nationwide Insurance, Rockwell Collins, University of Northern Iowa, Wal-Mart, and Wells Fargo.
CelebrAsian is a family-friendly event that is free of charge and open to the general public.

WHY: CelebrAsian provides an opportunity for Iowa's Asian communities to share their rich cultural traditions with others and to allow all Iowans an opportunity to experience Asia in Iowa.

ESTIMATED ATTENDANCE: Last year, the Des Moines Police Department estimated total attendance for this one-day event to be over 30,000 people. IAA expects attendance to grow from that number.
ENTERTAINMENT/ACTIVITIES: CelebrAsian offers a wide variety of family-friendly activities and entertainment throughout the course of the day:
  • The Sports and Martial Arts Village will feature a volleyball tournament, and martial arts competitions and demonstrations throughout the entire day.
  • The Wellmark Health and Wellness Village will feature interactive workshops related to health and wellness, free medical screenings, healthy cooking demonstrations, and other informative events.
  • The Principal Financial Group Family Art Center will feature the culmination of a community arts project entitled Flowers of the Heart to inspire families to explore their creative side.
  • The Main Stage will feature contemporary and cultural performance throughout the entire day, including traditional song and dance performed by each of the thirteen communities participating in this year's event.
  • Local musical performers Gimikk and Larry Berenguel will entertain guests on the Main Stage throughout the day. National musical headliners include hip-hop/alternative band afterschoolspecial, and YouTube sensation Sam Hart. Another YouTube personality, Tim Delaghetto aka Traphik will serve as master of ceremony and guest judge for the Next SensAsian Talent Contest.
  • Children and families will enjoy the Children's Inflatable Play Area.
  • The Diplomacy Village features interactive booths hosted by different organizations that connect Iowa to Asia through their critically important work.
  • The fashion show will feature traditional Asian apparel representing different generations of the ethnic communities at this year's festival.
  • Village Sponsor Hummel's Nissan will display their newest cars, including the incredible GTR and Nissan Leaf.
  • New for this year is the Iowa Takraw Foundation Takraw Tournament. Takraw is a traditional Asian sport similar to volleyball, except that it is played with a bamboo or wicker mesh ball and the players can use only their feet! For more information about takraw, please see the following: http://www.takrawusa.com and http://www.facebook.com/pages/Iowa-Takraw- Foundation/241192750273.
  • Festival-goers can learn more about the Asian experience in Iowa in the My Story Tent, in which Iowans share their own story through essays and photographs.


Press Contact:
Christopher McDonald, Chairman
Iowa Asian Alliance
(515) 201-9137
Email: Christopher.McDonald@aviva.com

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