Coralville stands as one of the most diverse cities in Iowa. In fact, 9.4% of Coralville is comprised of Asian Americans. Just in time for Asian and Pacific American Heritage Month, the Coralville Asian Festival committee established the festival last May to celebrate the rich culture and contributions of the Asian community.
On Saturday, May 18th, the second annual Coralville Asian Festival was held at S.T. Morrison Park. The festival showcased performances from all different parts of Asia, with feature performances from West High’s Walk it Out South Asia, East Asia and North Africa/Middle East groups. Music, food vendors and activity booths representing various Asian cultures were highlighted at the festival.
The Coralville Asian Festival founders plan to sustain the festival for more than just a few years. Founder Hai Huynh hopes for the current committee to lay down the foundation for future generations of young Asians to elevate the festival. Huynh also hopes for the festival to grow in size with the number of vendors, performances and attendees. Huynh and fellow founder Jennifer Nguyen share a dream of expanding the festival into a night market, representing an even larger variety of cultures.
Following the festival’s success, the founding committee begins planning for next year’s event. Some of their goals include applying for grants, reaching out to more vendors and meeting new people.
There are numerous ways to help support the festival. Community members can volunteer, set up vendor booths, donate or simply spread the word. To learn more about how to get involved, check out the official Coralville Asian Festival site.
