Celebrate Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month throughout May at an area festival, educational talk, or lively performance.
IlluminAsia Festival
To commemorate AAPI Heritage Month, the National Museum of Asian Art is hosting a month-long celebration of family-friendly arts and culture. In addition to guided tours, author talks, and film screenings, the IlluminAsia Festival hosts Asia After Dark—an after-hours art party featuring poetry, comedy, and music by Filipino collective Washington Rizzards (free).
AAPI Celebration Performances
If you want to add live music to your AAPI calendar, check out these free Friday concerts at Eastern Market. On Friday evenings in May, dancers, singers, and musicians will perform outdoors on the plaza. Audiences can expect performances by Taiko Drummers, Hum Tunes, Aloha Boys, and a Lions Dance show (free).
50 Years of SE Asian American Journeys
View the “Sightlines: Chinatown and Beyond” exhibit at the Smithsonian American Art Museum to discover DC’s Asian American connections through art, images, and graphics. On May 10, the museum is also screening seven films and hosting panel discussions with community leaders and artists to mark 50 years of Southeast Asian American journeys (free).
Howard County’s AAPI Festival
Taste ice cream, bubble tea, and Thai street food from Asian food trucks at this AAPI Festival in Columbia, Maryland. The fourth annual community gathering will open with a Parade of Cultures through the park. After the showcase, attendees can browse crafts from cultural vendors and exhibitors, make origami, play drums, and indulge in more fun (free).
Fiesta Asia
The Passport DC festivities continue this month with Fiesta Asia. The celebration of pan-Asian heritage will include over 1,000 performers, food vendors, and artisans, plus kid-friendly activities, karaoke contests, a sushi cook-off, street dancing, and a colorful parade. The fair has been a popular tribute to Asian culture since 2006 (free).
Asian Festival on Main
Take the entire family to this outdoor party in Old Town Fairfax City, which will feature over 60 food options, dozens of performances, and vendors, in addition to a cosplay costume contest, karaoke, and a beer garden (free).
Asia on the Creek
Next month, visit downtown Frederick to experience traditional Asian art, dance, music, cuisine, and fashion, along with family-friendly activities, a vendor market, and live performances at Carroll Creek Park’s outdoor amphitheater (free).
Briana A. Thomas is a local journalist, historian, and tour guide who specializes in the research of D.C. history and culture. She is the author of the Black history book, Black Broadway in Washington, D.C., a story that was first published in Washingtonian in 2016.
