ACE Asian Festival, April 30, 2022

Festival Update

Hello to all our members and friends! This is just a reminder that we’re counting down to the Salinas Chinatown Asian Festival, slated for this Saturday, April 30, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Note: If you are viewing this in your email, you can also view a visually expanded (larger font size) version at https://acesalinaschinatown.substack.com

This year, the Festival will be an in-person event. Opening ceremonies will begin 11:00 a.m. at the Filipino Community Hall at 250 Calle Cebu (where Chinatown tours will also meet). Parking will be available at: Iglesia Cristo Rey (Christ the King Church) parking lot on Calle Cebu, the Buddhist Temple of Salinas parking lot, and on the streets in Chinatown. Events sponsored by Asian American organizations will also take place at the Confucius Church (1 California St.), Buddhist Temple of Salinas (14 California St.), the Republic Cafe (during the tour), and at the ACE office/gallery (21 Soledad St., Suite A). The Classic Car Show will be on California St.

Enjoy food, entertainment, martial arts demonstrations, a classic car show, bonsai exhibits, Chinatown tours, and much more! Entry to the Festival is free. Food, produce, and other items will be available for purchase as fundraisers for various Chinatown organizations. Food trucks—the “‘Choke Coach” and Orlando Osornio’s “Tortas al 100”—will be parked in Chinatown offering fresh food selections. Our near neighbor on Soledad St., Urban Arts Collaborative, will also be open with an art exhibit, vegan food, mini farmers market, and other activities; other organizations may also be open on Soledad St.

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CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS

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ASIAN FESTIVAL SCHEDULE

Location of sites in Chinatown, including parking at Cristo Rey Church and Filipino Community Hall parking lots, as well as on the streets).

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FOOD

The produce sale at Confucius church will offer both conventionally grown and organic produce. Potstickers will be $5 for 5 potstickers.

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CAR SHOW

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ARTISTRY, HISTORY, AND CULTURE

Bonsai Exhibit & Demonstration at the Buddhist Temple of Salinas, 14 California St., Salinas, CA

Kendo martial arts demonstration at the Buddhist Temple of Salinas, 21 California St., Salinas.

Photo of Confucius Church and Chinese School (1936), from the Wellington Lee Collection.

Besides delicious potstickers and a produce sale, also featured in the Confucius Church building (pictured above) will be photographs from the collection of Chinatown historian, Wellington Lee. From 12 pm-12:15 pm, "Wong Family stories from their American Market in Chinatown" will be presented by siblings Herb Wong and Linda Wong-Gin (Chinese Community Center-Chinese Language Classroom).

ACE Office/gallery. Lanterns created by students of the International Scholars Program at York School, especially for the 2022 Asian Festival.

Finally, please visit the ACE Office/Gallery (look for the big yellow lion in the window) and check out our excerpted “Stories from Salinas Chinatown” exhibit. Let’s chat about Chinatown, its past, present, and future! We are at 21 Soledad St. (corner, Soledad & Lake Sts.), Suite A, first floor of Moon Gate Plaza.

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Thanks to the many organizations who have helped to support ACE and its partner nonprofits in the past and present including: Community Foundation of Monterey County, First Mayor’s House of Salinas, Union Bank, Star Market, Monterey County Gives, Salinas Valley Chamber of Commerce, CSUMB Service Learning Institute, CSUMB Visual & Public Art, York School, Salinas Downtown Community Board, National Steinbeck Center, MidPen Housing, City of Salinas, and many more.