14th Annual Salinas Asian Festival, 2023

Spring 2023 Issue

Asian Festival flyer design by Jayden Saechao and Stephanie Le.

The 2023 Salinas Asian Festival is coming up very soon—on Sat., April 29. This year there will some new events: an outdoor street fair (on California Street) and a deejay (onstage in front of Salinas Buddhist Temple). At Moon Gate Plaza there will be a vegan pop-up fundraiser (Urban Arts Collaborative) and an exhibit of student projects at Public Space/Chinatown. While you are at Moon Gate, stop by the ACE office at 21 Soledad St., Suite A, and say hello!

There’s still time to sign up for a vendor table and feature arts and crafts, information, and more. Just go to our Asian Festival page and sign up. Vendor tables are only $25.00. For more information, contact Larry Hirahara at seedyguy@aol.com. As always, there will be lots of food, performances, gallery exhibits, Chinatown tours, and a chance to talk about the future of Salinas Chinatown.

Schedule of Events:

10:00AM-2:00 PM - Chinatown Car Show

11:00AM - Opening Ceremony and Lion Dance, followed by an historical exhibit, farmers market produce sale, Chinese potstickers, and Wong family talk. Sponsored by Chinese American Citizens Alliance: Confucius Church, 1 California St.

- Events begin at Filipino Community Center, featuring: Filipino Teachers Cultural Dance, Rancho San Juan High School Filipino Youth Club cultural dance, a Filipino martial arts demonstration, and Balinese dance. At 250 Calle Cebu.

- Urban Arts Collaborative Pop-up Fundraiser, vegan snacks and desserts: 21 Soledad St., Suite C

- Public Space/Chinatown (gallery): Student Projects Exhibit: 21 Soledad St.

12:00PM - Kendo Demonstration: Salinas Buddhist Temple, 14 California St.

12:30PM - Bonsai Demonstration: Salinas Buddhist Temple, 14 California St.

1:00 - 3:00 - Deejay Jayden Saychao, and student performances (on stage in front of Salinas Buddhist Temple, 14 California St.)

1:30PM - Walking Tour of Chinatown (meet at Filipino Community Ctr., 250 Calle Cebu)

2:00PM - Buddhist Temple Tour: Salinas Buddhist Temple, 14 California St.

ACE’s book, Our Salinas Chinatown — with memoirs and art by people who have lived and worked in Chinatown—will be available and for sale at the Asian Festival. the book is made possible by a grant from the Arts Council for Monterey County.

Our partners include:

• Salinas Buddhist Temple

• Chinese American Citizens Alliance

• Filipino Community of Salinas Valley

• Filipino American Historical Society (FANHS) - Monterey Bay Area

• CSUMB Service Learning Institute

• Salinas High School

• York School

JOIN ACE

ACE looks forward to a summer of change in Chinatown. We continue to receive grants for historical, cultural, and neighborhood projects; we work with service-learning students and partner with many local organizations, presenting opportunities for historical pop-up events and exhibits; and we continue to work for revitalization of Chinatown and a community based cultural center and museum in the Republic Cafe building (see our summer newsletter for updates on that). If you are interested in supporting our efforts, please join us! Help us to develop and expand our programs! Become a member and volunteer and/or donate to ACE today.

ACE Website

ACE Walking Tour (with interviews and videos)