New York, NY April 20 – The 32nd Annual Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Festival will be held on Sunday, May 8, 2011 at Union Square Park (East 17th between Broadway and Park Avenue) from 12:00pm to 6:00pm. Organized by the Coalition of Asian Pacific Americans since 1979, this annual festival is the longest running and largest event celebrating Pan Asian heritage on the east coast. This year’s festival centers on the theme of the journey that Asian Pacific American ancestors have taken to bring us to this moment. It celebrates not only the value of families, but also our heritage which make us proud to be Asian Pacific Americans. The festival is free and open to the public thanks to generous contributions from sponsors Verizon and Macy’s as well as from supporting companies: McDonald’s, Con Edison, Toyota, Pepperidge Farm, Campbell Soup, Different Roads to Learning, and many Asian communities and organizations.

More than 20,000 visitors are expected for an impressive line-up of performances, fun activities for children and adults alike, and savory samples of Asian cuisine. Numerous Asian American organizations will be present to inform visitors about useful services, volunteer opportunities, and resources to get involved in the community. Attendees can expect a riveting lineup of performances and speakers including:

• Special appearance by Mr. John Liu, Comptroller, City of New York and Council Member Margaret Chin.
• Opening ceremony by Color Guard and Lion Dance.
• Emcees by Ti-Hua Chang, Richard Lui, CeFaan Kim, Kelly Tsai, Michelle Yu and Jen Kwok.
• Music performances by Hsu-nami, PaperDoll, Reni Mimura, Nina Sophia Mojares, Nuf Said and Dana Leong ft. Le Zhang
• Dance presentations by Polynesian Dance, Bollywood Axion Dance, New York Chinese Cultural Center, and Yosakoi Dance.
• Martial arts demonstrations by the Chinese Freemason Athletic Club, Kyakkokan Dojo, Blue Dragon TKD Demo Team, World Martial Arts Center, Asian United Sports Club, Moy Ving Tsung, City Wing Tsun Kung Fu and Gao’s Kung Fu Academy.
• Japanese traditional music by Soh Daiko, critically acclaimed taiko group, specializing in Japanese drumming technique and other unique instruments. Also performing will be the Kaoru Watanabe Taiko Center and Taikoza.
• Asian traditional folk arts presentations by Rose Sigal-Ibsen, Kavita Vyas, Ye Xun, Jampa Youden, Duong Trung, and Ming Liang Lu.
• Magic shows by Ronald McDonald and Rich Kameda

The community festival will be packed with lively entertainment, tasty eats, and valuable resources in celebration of Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month -- and the rich culture, history and accomplishments of Asian Pacific Americans. For more details on the event, go to: http://capaonline.org

About Coalition of Asian Pacific Americans:
The Coalition of Asian Pacific Americans (CAPA) is a 501c(3) non-profit organization staffed solely by volunteers working together to build a sense of community among the tri-state area's Asian Pacific Americans.

Executive Director
Stephen Chen
director@capaonline.org
Web: www.capaonline.org
Address: 12 West 18th Street, Suite 3E, New York, NY 10011