Knox Asian Festival returns after two years

5th Annual Knox Asian Festival. Source: Knoxasianfestival.com

Posted: Jul 22, 2022 / 11:41 PM EDT

Updated: Jul 22, 2022 / 11:41 PM EDT

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — The 9th annual Knox Asian Festival is planned for Aug. 28 at World’s Fair Park.

The festival grew from 3,000 participants in 2014 to 60,000 participants in 2019. However, the festival has been canceled for the past two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Asian Culture Center of Tennessee said the goal of the festival is to teach people about Asian arts and culture.

The festival features authentic food vendors representing Taiwan, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, India, Korea, China, Japan, Philippines, Bangladesh, Pakistani and Vietnam. There is also a passport program where children and their families can “travel” to 13 counties and learn about their cultures while getting stamps.

The Asian Cultural Parade will begin at 10 a.m. at the water fountain on the park lawn. The parade will finish at the Amphitheater stage where performers will then sing “We are the World.” Throughout the festival, there will also be several performances on the festival’s two performance stages.

Those who register for the festival will be entered to win a free ramen bowl from the Ramen Bones Food Truck. 30 registered participants will be selected at random. To see a full streaming schedule and register for the festival, click here.

The day before the parade, the inaugural Asian Film Festival will take place at Central Cinema. They will show several films and documentaries focusing on Asian culture. The following films will be shown:

Far East Deep South – 1 p.m.
- This film looks at the impact of the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act.

Pakadavai – 1 p.m.
- A Taiwan documentary about Taiwan tribes.

Rashomon – 5:40 p.m.
- This is a psychological thriller that looks into the nature of truth and the meaning of justice. According to Central Cinema, it is considered one of the greatest films ever made.