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Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month ended with a lively celebration of culture, art and food on May 31 at the Patrick Henry Recreation Center.
The annual “From Pacific to Persia” festival highlighted the traditions and contributions of diverse AAPI communities through music, performances, cultural activities and cuisine.
Attendees watched Hawaiian hula and a traditional dance and feeding ceremony led by Choy Wun. Music from a wide range of AAPI cultures also filled the event.
Festivalgoers participated in Suikawari, a Japanese teamwork game in which blindfolded players attempt to split a watermelon with a stick.
Congress established Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in 1992. Its May observance coincides with significant dates in Asian American history, including the arrival of the first Japanese immigrants on May 7, 1843, and Chinese workers’ completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869.