Eighth Annual AsiaFest Celebrates 10th Anniversary of Asia Society Texas Center's Opening
- View more photos on Flickr.
HOUSTON, June 14, 2022 — Asia Society Texas celebrated the 10th anniversary of the Center's opening with its annual AsiaFest, attended by more than 3,000 guests who enjoyed the free festival's music and dance performances, a food court, and a variety of arts, crafts, games, and demonstrations.
The festival's popular passport activity returned, inviting guests to explore the vast geography of Asia through four regions spread out across the Center. Visitors received a stamp at each region, including one for Texas which was represented by the exhibition Making Home: Artists and Immigration, in order to receive a special prize.
Activities that corresponded to each of the four regions included Pakistani block printing, a Singaporean merlion craft, Japanese games, ceramic tiles inspired by the Indian art form of alpana, and more. Inside the Brown Foundation Performing Arts Theater, guests enjoyed performing arts traditions spanning from Indonesia to China to Pakistan, including music by Gamelan of the New Moon and Han Narea and dance presented by Steps for Dancing, Dance of Asian America, Anjali Center for Performing Arts, Indus Arts Council, Filipino Young Professionals, and Han Narea. Both Harris County Public Library and Houston Public Library shared literature and signed guests up for library cards, while Harris County Votes was onsite to provide voter registration assistance.
In a new activation, Houston Heat Dragon Boat Club displayed their dragon boat outside on the festival lawn, alongside FYP Island Warriors and Pink Phurree. To conclude the day's festivities, Lee's Golden Dragon presented an energetic lion dance in celebration of the Center's 10th anniversary and to bring good fortune to guests.
AsiaFest was made possible with generous support from Heimbinder Family Foundation and Savve. Community partners included Houston Heat Dragon Boat Club, Indus Arts Council, Houston Korean Education Center, Chinese Community Center, Japan Foundation New York, Vietnamese Culture and Science Association, National Arab Orchestra, Iranian Cultural Foundation, Jayati Sengupta, Dance of Asian America, Filipino Young Professionals, Han Narea, Steps for Dancing, Harris County Public Library, Houston Public Library, and FYP Island Warriors. Additionally, Asia Society was thrilled to welcome back Gamelan of the New Moon, Anjali Center for Performing Arts, and Lee's Golden Dragon, all of whom performed at the Center's First Look Festival in April 2012.
View more photos on Flickr.
About AsiaFest
AsiaFest is the Asia Society Texas Center’s free annual community festival displaying the vibrancy of Asian culture, creativity, and cuisine in Houston. Since 2015, guests have joined us each year for an international bazaar, performances, arts and crafts, fusion food, live demonstrations, and more.
Past Events
2022: Details
2021: Highlights | Details
2020: Passage Magazine
2019: Highlights | Details
2018: Details
2017: Highlights | Details
2016: Highlights | Details
About Asia Society Texas
Asia Society Texas believes in the strength and beauty of diverse perspectives and people. As an educational institution, we advance cultural exchange by celebrating the vibrant diversity of Asia, inspiring empathy, and fostering a better understanding of our interconnected world. Spanning the fields of arts, business, culture, education, and policy, our programming is rooted in the educational and cultural development of our community — trusting in the power of art, dialogue, and ideas to combat bias and build a more inclusive society.