Festival LINEUP
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Remember Bhakti:
An evening of music (Kirtan), and storytelling
Friday Jan 12th
6:30pm
@ Story ParlorThe festival kicks off with Remembering Bhakti, a soul-stirring evening of song and storytelling featuring Heena Patel.
In this intimate performance, Heena weaves a tapestry of Indian devotional songs (bhajans) with the threads of her personal memoir. Embark on a journey navigating the complexities of religion and spirituality, caste and patriarchy, otherness and belonging through the lens of a Hindu child of immigrants.
'Remembering Bhakti' is more than just a musical experience, it's an exploration of self, reclamation of voice, and reimagining of inheritance. This performance is an ode to the essence of bhakti – the path of devotion as a means to connect with Self and Source.
Presented by Heena Patel
📅 January 12th at 6:30 pm
📌 @storyparlor
🎟️ $15 - $25 suggested donation; no one turned away for lack of funds
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Growing up Multiracial:
A Conversation Series
Saturday Jan 13th
10:45am
@ Blue Ridge Room in Highsmith Student Union at UNCA
TicketsJoin us for the inaugural panel for the Asian American Pacific Islander Conversation Series.
Learn about the challenges and dynamics of growing up in a multiracial household in the US from panelists of varied backgrounds and experiences.
Together we'll explore themes like discrimination, family dynamics, and developing an understanding of multicultural identities.
📅 January 13th at 10:45 am
📌 @ Blue Ridge Room in Highsmith Student Union at UNCA
🎟️ Free
Space is limited! Reserve your seats at the ticketing link
Panelists: Tracy Hopkins, Kimberly Dunn, Sherly Moore, Quinton Soemardi, Anthony Taylor
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Homeland:
An Evening of StorytellingSaturday Jan 13th
6:30pm
@ Story ParlorWe invite you to attend the 'Homeland: An Evening of Storytelling' featuring the voices and stories of members of the Asian community in Asheville.
Our storytellers include:
Ben Phan (Vietnam + USA)
Rich Enuol (Vietnam)
Gendun Sakyal (Tibet)
and Eva Peterson (Hong Kong)📅 January 13th at 6:30 pm
📌 @storyparlor
🎟️ $15 - $25 suggested donation; no one turned away for lack of funds
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Mountain Song:
An evening of Chinese, Tibetan, and Lebanese Folk Music
Sunday Jan 14th
6:30pm
@ Story ParlorBe transported to the mountains of Asia through its folk music.
Mountain Song is an evening of Chinese, Tibetan, and Lebanese folk music by Kimberly Duun, Shunyu Huang, Ben Phan, Gendun Sakyal, and Maan Abou Khzam.
Don't miss this captivating blend of cultures and melodies.
📅 January 14th at 6:30 pm
📌 @storyparlor
🎟️ $15 - $25 suggested donation; no one turned away for lack of funds
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Ancestral Reconnection:
A ritual and movement workshop
Monday Jan 15th
5:30pm
@ Story ParlorEmbark on a journey to reconnect with or deepen your connection with your ancestors in this Ancestral Reconnection workshop led by Chi Young Kim (she/her)
This 2-hour workshop, curated with love, combines teaching, communal altar creation, and a guided embodied practice. Together, we'll make offerings to our Ancestors, fostering a deeper connection with our roots. You're invited to bring something meaningful to offer, a token to take back with you at the workshop's end. Let's weave a tapestry of shared stories and honor the wisdom of those who came before us.
For more information about Chi Young Kim, visit https://www.rememberingvoice.com/
📅 January 15th at 5:30pm
📌 @storyparlor
🎟️ $25 - $50 suggested donation; no one turned away for lack of funds
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Bhangra Class:
A Punjabi folk dance class
Tuesday Jan 16th
7:30pm
@ Uphora Dance + FitnessExperience the vibrant cultural dance of Bhangra led by Tiffany Saini. Originating from Punjab, India, Bhangra is an energetic folk dance and music form traditionally performed during harvest celebrations, now evolved into so much more.
Under the guidance of instructor Tiffany, you'll stomp your feet, shake your hips, bounce your shoulders, break a sweat, and leave smiling ear to ear!"
About the instructor:
Tiffany was born in the suburbs outside of Chicago and moved to Asheville when she was 8 years old. She has been in dance classes since she was a toddler. She has choreographed dance performances for weddings and collegiate competitions and has danced professionally and competitively. She lived in New York for 8 years before moving back to Asheville with her husband 2 years ago. She is grateful to be part of the WNC AAPI community and excited about the festival and sharing her Punjabi culture to the Asheville area in her performance and bhangra classes held locally at Uphora dance + fitness studio.
📅 January 16th at 7:30 pm
📌 @uphora
🎟️ $5 - $15 suggested donation; no one turned away for lack of funds
Presented by: Tiffany Saini
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Documentary screening of “Blurring the Color Line”
Wednesday Jan 17th
5:30pm
@ UNCA Alumni HallJoin us for a film screening of "Blurring the Color Line" and a facilitated discussion around identity, resilience, and the intersections of race in America.
Director Crystal Kwok delves into her grandmother’s family history within Augusta, Georgia's Black community during the Jim Crow era. Explore the director's narrative and question, 'What does it mean to be Chinese in Black spaces during segregation?'"
Don't miss the opportunity to be part of this screening and a discussion that challenges perceptions and fosters understanding.
More Info About "Blurring the Color Line"
Runtime: 77mins
📅 January 17th at 5:30 pm
📌 UNCA - Alumni Hall, High Smith Student Union. Click here for map
🎟️ Free
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Documentary screening of “Grandma, a Thousand Times”
Thursday Jan 18th
5:30pm
@ UNCA Alumni HallJoin us for the film screening and discussion of 'Grandma, A Thousand Times (Teta, Alf Marra),' a documentary capturing the spirited life of 83-year-old Teta Fatima, the matriarch of the Kaabour family in old Beirut.
Described as 'delightful and warm-hearted,' the film, with great intimacy, follows Teta Fatima's larger-than-life character as she grapples with the silence in her once-vibrant home, imagining what lies beyond death. The presence of her deceased violinist husband, an essential absence yet palpable presence, is beautifully manifested through the face of their filmmaker grandson, and his unpublished violin improvisations weave through both her world and the film.
Following the screening, join facilitators Evelyn Chiang and Shunyu Huang in a discussion about the film, legacy, and love. Winner of multiple awards, including the Audience Award at the Doha Tribeca Film Festival, Best Film at the London International Documentary Festival, and the Audience Award at DOX BOX, this film promises to be a captivating and thought-provoking experience.
📅 January 18th at 5:30pm
📌 UNCA - Alumni Hall, High Smith Student Union. Click here for map
🎟️ Free
Registration recommended
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Chinese Cooking Class:
An intimate evening of cooking and eating Chinese cuisineThursday Jan 18th
5:00pm
@ La CuisineExpand your culinary skills with La Cuisine in an intimate Chinese homestyle cooking class led by the founder @kimberlydelaforet. In this three-hour experience, you'll learn and prepare beloved recipes from Chinese households before enjoying dinner with fellow participants.
This class is available at a specially reduced fee just for the festival! Reserve your spot now for a delightful session of learning and culinary delight!
📅 January 18th at 5:00 pm
📌 @La Cuisine
🎟️ $40
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Connecting to Heritage Through Tea:
An afternoon of storytelling and Japanese teaFriday Jan 19th
10:45am
@ Asia HouseJoin Miles Cramer in a tea tasting and dialogue around identity, heritage, and Japanese tea culture.
As a person with 1/4 Japanese ancestry, Miles will share his journey of reconnecting with his Japanese heritage, offering a glimpse into the complexities of identity and the yearning for a deeper cultural embrace. Acknowledging the privilege of being a cis-white male, he opens a dialogue on claiming one's cultural identity, drawing inspiration from his grandmother's experiences as a Japanese woman in 1960s Ohio.
📅 January 19th at 10:45 am
📌 Asia House
🎟️ $15-25 suggested donation; no one turned away for lack of funds
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Family Fun: Experience Asian Culture through Dance + Craft-making
Saturday Jan 20th
12:00pm
@ Uphora Dance + FitnessJUST ADDED! Mark your calendars for a joyful event at Uphora Dance + Fitness, where families are invited to immerse themselves in the vibrant Asian cultures.
Children and adults alike can enjoy an array of activities, from lively dance lessons and a spirited dance party to crafting a special keepsake connected to the Lunar New Year.Thank you for Uphora for helping make this event possible by donating the space!
📅 January 20th at 12:00 pm
📌 @uphora
🎟️ $10-$20 suggested donation per family; no one turned away for lack of funds
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Kimchi Making:
A communal ritual and storytelling workshop centered around kimjangSaturday Jan 20th
12pm TIME CHANGE!!! (was 10am)
@ Moon Mountain
TicketsDelve into the magic of communal kimchi making in the part workshop, part storytelling, part ritual event with Kris Moon (Jeong Hwa/they/she) @_krismoon_.
Kris is a queer, gender non-conforming, trans-racial, trans-National Korean Polish American adoptee who returned to Korea after 26 years of separation, reuniting with maternal family and immersing themselves in community care rituals.
As many hands come together to make kimchi, Kris will be sharing more about the profound connection they experienced.
You'll walk away with expanded perspectives, new connections, and your own jar of kimchi!
📅 January 20th at 12pm (time change! Was 10am)
📌 Moon Mountain, Marshall, NC
🎟️ $10 - $30; no one turned away for lack of funds
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The Lands We Knew:
A storytelling and photographic journey of colonization, diaspora, and “Ancient Future”
Saturday Jan 20th
5:30pm
@ New Belgium BrewhouseJoin the Talyad siblings, Mike and Alina of @soulsoilproject, for this captivating two-part storytelling journey across continents. Mike's photojournalism from Sumatra delves into the colonialist impact of palm oil mono-crop agriculture and what local, grassroots movements are doing to help protect disappearing jungles.
Alina takes us into the “ancient future," centering the vision of the Nawaya Village project, an inspirational catalyst for community-driven economics, food sovereignty, and whole-systems strategy and design.”
The narratives intertwine as both look to the future and the role of social artists, land stewards, and changemakers in breaking cycles and fostering sustainable change.
📅 January 20th at 5:30 pm
📌 New Belgium Brewhouse
🎟️ Free
Registration recommended:
Tickets -
Onigiri Pop-up: a taste of home-cooked Japanese balls of yum and love
Sunday Jan 21st
2-4pm
@ POP Bubble TeaNibbly Onigiri is collecting community "food memories" to share with one another. We may all eat differently but share the same human feelings. Please share your story about food that is important to you through the following form, if you are inclined! Nibbly Onigiri will give out a Japanese "New Year's gift" envelope that contains one of the stories, to each customer that visits our pop-up on Jan 21st at Pop Bubble Tea (and may be shared in other formats).
The form will be open until the end of Jan 15th, Monday!
*Open to everyone, you don't have to be Asian to share your memory. The food doesn't have to be onigiri or Asian food either!
Thank you for sharing.
Indulge in the delicious delight of onigiri and immerse yourself in a cultural exchange of memories at @nibblyonigiri's pop-up event at @Popbubbleteanc.
In the spirit of community, Nibbly Onigiri is on a mission to discover the equivalent of onigiri for people from diverse backgrounds. You'll not only be able to purchase handmade onigiri but also will receive a special gift with each purchase featuring voices from the community.
Come savor delicious bites and share experiences that transcend borders.
Presented by: Nibbly Onigiri📅 January 21st from 2-4 pm
📌 @popbubbleteanc
🎟️ Free admission (food and items for purchase)
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Asian Culture Festival Gala:
A fundraiser grand finale
Sunday Jan 21st
4:00pm
@ Eulogy at Burial Beer Co.Join us for the grand finale of the Asheville Asian Culture Festival - our fundraising gala!
With a fashion show, performances by artists featured in the festival, as well as live music for the dance floor by Ma Mockingbird & the Gypsy Swingers, the Gala is a celebration of its vibrant tapestry of Asian culture found in Western North Carolina, all in support of BIPOC organizations in the region.
Taking place at Eulogy, a new event space by @burialbeer, gala proceeds will support @wncaapi as well as the ongoing work of Soulfull Simone Farm, Soul & Soil Project, and the Southside Community Farm, organizations dedicated to community empowerment and sustainable agriculture.
Caravan Art Bazaar is bringing a ton of beautiful artwork created and donated by BIPOC and allies, as well as donation prizes from local businesses to help support our fundraiser! Items will be available in silent auction and raffle, and there is sure to be something for everyone!
Come out and party with us as we celebrate at the grand finale of the AVL Asian Culture Festival!
📅 January 21st at 4 pm
📌 Eulogy at @burialbeer
