Last year’s festival was attended by over 2500+. Come have lots of fun. The eighth annual Alabama Asian Cultures and Food Festival will be held this year on Saturday, April 9, 2016, from 10:30 am (opening ceremony) until 4:00 pm at the Zamora Shrine Temple (3521 Ratliff Road, Irondale, AL 35210).
Come and support the Foundation and its goals through your attendance and purchases at vendor bazaars, meet people from different cultures, learn to understand cultural similarities and differences by visiting our cultural educations booths, enjoy Asian entertainment, sample many kinds of Asian food, and have a lot of fun!
Come early and stay until closing. This yearÛªs Festival begins with the traditional Opening Ceremony: ChildrenÛªs Chorus, remarks from visiting dignitaries and this yearÛªs Miss Birmingham and Miss Cahaba Valley. Regular activities will begin at 11:00 am. There will be a number of educational and fun activities available, including an Asian fashion show, construction of a Nepalese Rangoli (made with colored rice), Japanese arts workshops, a ÛÏsilentÛ auction, scholarly discussions with Indian film excerpts on diversity and tolerance, outdoor lessons on cricket, and a ÛÏName It and Claim ItÛ Asia map activity with prizes.
The number of Asian countries represented by cultural education booths, whose mission is to share fun aspects of their cultures with you, will increase this year. A new feature will be a childrenÛªs ÛÏpassportÛ to be stamped when they visit each booth or take a ÛÏjourney across AsiaÛ on a giant map from National Geographic, guided by experienced master teacher, Bo Garrett, from Highlands School. Storytelling sessions presenting Asian folk tales, myths, stories, and fairy tales from different Asian cultures, sure to delight the small ones, are co-sponsored by the AACF and our partner, the Vestavia Hills Library in the Woods. Weather permitting, there will be experts who will conduct ÛÏhands-onÛ activities on the sport of cricket which is wildly popular in much of southern and western Asia. There will also be workshops for adults to learn more about the Japanese arts of Origami and Ikebana.
Sample as you will, and savor the aromas, flavors, and textures of the foods offered. Try new things and discover new favorites. This year you will again have the freedom to purchase individual servings of any dish you wish from any food booth. Again, only tokens will be used to purchase food to accelerate service. Pots of Jasmine tea, sodas, and bottled water will be available also. The ÛÏFood CourtÛ opens at 11:15 am and closes at 3:30 p.m., so donÛªt be late. Following tradition, this yearÛªs Miss Birmingham (2016), MÛªia Callens, and Miss Cahaba Valley (2016), Chandler Shields, will serve as hostesses and Emcees for the festival, serve as Chorus Mistresses for the ChildrenÛªs Chorus in the opening ceremony, and be available for photographs with children all day. Admission this year is $8.00 for adults 18 and over, $5.00 for teens (13-17) and college students, active military, and veterans with ID, and free for children 12 and under. Food service will be available from 11:15 am – 3:30 pm. A small number of invited restaurants and organizations representing many Asian cuisines will have signature dishes that will only be sold a la carte. $4.00 food tokens and $2.00 green drink tickets will be offered at the Admissions area. No cash will be accepted for food, only tokens: one token for one food serving. You may be as adventurous as you like, sampling dishes you have never tried before. Soft drinks and bottled water will be available for $2.00 (one green ticket) each, and a teapot of hot Jasmine tea with four cups is $4.00 (two green tickets).