KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The Knox Asian Festival will celebrate ten years of performances, food and Asian cultural traditions on Saturday at World's Fair Park.
The Tenth Annual Knox Asian Festival is expected to start at 10:30 a.m. with the Asian Cultural Parade. It will start at the water fountain on the festival lawn before ending at the World's Fair Park Amphitheater stage. The fun will continue until around 8 p.m.
During the festival, visitors will be able to try food from around the continent. Vendors are expected to bring dishes typically eaten in countries like Japan, China, Malaysia, Korea, Indonesia, Taiwan and Thailand.
This year, the Knox Asian Festival is also giving people a chance to participate in its "Passport Program." It encourages visitors to visit booths from each country, where they can see performances and demonstrations at each.
Each booth has its own plans for activities and demonstrations. For example, the Japanese booth plans to present three Sumo wrestlers who will perform at the amphitheater at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. They will also have Matsuriza Drummers.
The South Korean booth will bring fan dancers, known for intricate costuming and precise movements. The Indonesian booth is also planning performances at the amphitheater, with a cultural tent filled with workshops and tastings.
The booths will represent different countries, and the booths available on Saturday are available below.
- Japan
- China
- South Korea
- Indonesia
- The Philippines
- Taiwan
- India
- Bangladesh
- Vietnam
- Thailand
- Myanmar
Participants in the Passport Program collect stamps as they visit different countries, and eventually pick their favorite booth. They can then take a photo with their favorite booth while holding up their passport.
By posting the photo on social media with the hashtag "#KnoxAsianFestival" they may receive a free t-shirt.