The brisk air and wind could not scare away the masses, as tens of thousands came out to San Francisco’s Civic Center and Little Saigon neighborhood for the 6th Annual Asian Heritage Street Celebration on Saturday May 15, 2010. Over 160 booths ranging from arts and crafts, community, and nonprofits, lined Larkin Street from Grove to Ellis Streets.
The fair, organized by the AsianWeek Foundation, was packed with nonstop attraction and many firsts this year – including a Mah Jong section, a Wine and Jazz Area, and a balut eating contest.
Also, for first time in AHSC history, the San Francisco Consulates General of Indonesia, Philippines and Singapore in the spirit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) collaboration, jointly participated in the festival, hosting a pavilion that featured their countries’ respective cuisine, arts and craft, tourism and trade.
The crowd, estimated at 100,000 throughout the day, munched on delicious Korean tacos, BBQ, lumpia, and cupcakes, while others could be seen sipping from their commemorative souvenir wine glasses as they scoped out the numerous arts and crafts booths. The most popular item of the day, without a doubt, were the furry Panda hats, which could be seen on fairgoers of all ages and ethnicities.
The fair commenced with an energetic lion dance and a dazzling display of ethnic attire.
A much buzzed about exhibit – the giant inflatable 20 feet long Super Colon, presented by the California Colon Cancer Control Program, did not disappoint. Many eagerly strolled in to get a up-close look at healthy colon tissue and various stages of colon cancer. The display was part of a comprehensive health section that also featured hepatitis B screenings and education, liver cancer awareness, HIV rapid testing, body fat screenings, asthma screenings, blood pressure checks, and the chance for people to register to become bone marrow/stem cell donors.
ABC 7 Anchor Alan Wang, who is chronically infected with hepatitis B, spoke to attendees about the importance of getting screened for the disease and seeking appropriate medical care if diagnosed with HBV. California Pacific Medical Center and San Francisco Hep B Free screened approximately 200 people for Hep B which affects 1 in 10 Asian and Pacific Islanders.
Fresh off their tour recent Japan tour with Lady Gaga, the adorable boys of Far*East Movement all sporting shades, had hundreds of screaming fans crowding the Civic Center stage, bobbing their heads and pumping their fists in the air as they performed a handful of songs, including their hit, “Girls on the Dance Floor.”
“The festival keeps getting bigger and more successful each year.,” said Supervisor Eric Mar. “It is doing a great job of helping revitalize the Little Saigon and Civic Center area.”
Mar also commended the AHSC for their school fundraising program, which provides prizes and administrative support for San Francisco students and school groups to sell raffle tickets, with all proceeds returned to participating schools
A big smash hit of the day, was the Balut Eating Contest sponsored by Mama Sitas and the Filipino America Arts Exposition. Hundreds watched nine contestants all clad in bright orange Lola Sitas aprons, quickly crack their eggs and gobble away.
Ultimately Mike Marcelo (pictured right) a student from the University of San Francisco School of Law, won the epic chow down and said he hoped the contest helped dispel any misconceptions about this Filipino cultural delicacy which is also shared by the Vietnamese and other South East Asians.
Two veteran crowd pleasers also returned to the fair – a display of over 60 modern J-Cars and high-end European Sports cars, along with Muay Thai Kickboxing matches throughout the afternoon.
The annual event stresses the diversity of the Asian Pacific American community with representation from all ethnicities performing live on stage, and offers a huge selection of arts and crafts, plus food. In six years, the celebration has become the country’s largest assemblage of Asian Americans.
The celebration was co-presented by the California Pacific Medical Center and Subaru of America.
SAVE THE DATE:
The 7th Annual Asian Heritage Street Celebration will take place Saturday May 21, 2011 at Civic Center/Little Saigon.
www.asianfairsf.com
Cat Mulan Margie Yee Webb, journalist Angela Pang, Love Made of Heart Teresa LeYung Ryan at Asian Heritage Street Celebration 2010
Margie Yee Webb just emailed to share the list of Book Raffle Prize Winners at the 2010 Asian Heritage Street Celebration.
California Writers Club Tote and Books: California Writers Club Tote Bag with Wordsworth The Poet and Wordsworth Dances The Waltz by Frances H. Kakugawa: Courtesy of California Writers Club, Sacramento Branch – Mrs. E. Hall, St. Mary’s Chinese Day School, (107590)
California Writers Club Tote Bag with Teacher You Look Like A Horse!: Lessons From The Classroom and Mosaic Moon: Caregiving Through Poetry by Frances H. Kakugawa: Courtesy of California Writers Club, Sacramento Branch – Rosanna Louie, Spring Valley Elementary School, (101911)
California Writers Club Tote Bag with Kiyo’s Story: A Japanese-American Family’s Quest for the American Dream by Kiyo Sato: Courtesy of California Writers Club, Sacramento Branch - Jeanette Loeffler, SFSU, (202049)
California Writers Club Tote Bag with Becoming Soul Mates and How To Get Kids To Help At Home by Elva Anson: Courtesy of California Writers Club, Sacramento Branch - Dong Mei Li, E.R. Taylor Elementary School, (104070)
California Writers Club Tote Bag with Bullets for Ballots by Everett Anson: Courtesy of California Writers Club, Sacramento Branch - Anita Chow, E. R. Taylor Elementary School, (104152)
California Writers Club Tote Bag with The Little Book About Pastel by Suzanne Blaney: Courtesy of California Writers Club, Sacramento Branch - Lizabeth Wan, Spring Valley Elementary School, (101827)
California Writers Club Tote Bag with The System Made Me Do It!: A Life Changing Approach To Office Politics by Susan M. Osborn, Ph.D.: Courtesy of California Writers Club, Sacramento Branch – Ruhma Zahin, Jose Ortega Elementary School, (103285)
California Writers Club Tote Bag with Love Made of Heart by Teresa LeYung Ryan: Courtesy of California Writers Club, San Francisco Peninsula Branch – Chan Cindy, Visitacion Valley Middle School, (101051)
California Writers Club Tote Bag with Heroes Arise by Laurel Anne Hill: Courtesy of California Writers Club, San Francisco Peninsula Branch – Lisa Wong, E.R. Taylor Elementary School, (104227)
California Writers Club Tote Bag with My Splendid Concubine and Our Hart by Lloyd Lofthouse: Courtesy of California Writers Club, Berkeley Branch – Szeto, St. Mary’s Chinese Day School, (107567)
California Writers Club Tote Bag with Murder At Ocean View College by Karen Batchelor and Vintage Voices: Four-Part Harmony by Redwood Writers: Courtesy of California Writers Club, Redwood Branch -Jian Ying Xu, George Washington High School, (102144)
Love Made of Heart by Teresa LeYung Ryan with Heart/Love Tote Bag: Courtesy of Women’s National Book Association-San Francisco Chapter - Jon Wong, Jean Parker, (202023)
Northern California Publishers & Authors Tote Bag with Carlotta’s Secret by Patricia E. Canterbury: Courtesy of Northern California Publishers & Authors - Dexter Chen, George Washington High School, (102291)
beautiful people at Asian Heritage Street Celebration
people of all ages and cultures at Asian Heritage Street Celebration 2010
Cheering for immigrant children, teens, women and men!
Beautiful people! I wish I had been there…:-)