Print

Email story

Comment

Letter to the editor

A nearby exotic trip

Asian and Pacific Rim flavors come within reach.

By SANDEE DAVIES, Times Staff Writer
Published October 7, 2007

PINELLAS PARK- The nations that comprise the Pacific Rim basin, their products and people, have become an important part of our everyday life. In 1965 only 7 percent of the immigrants to the United States were from the Asian regions. By 2006 that number grew to more than 36 percent.

Take a tour of the Asian and Pacific Rim nations and never leave town. The St. Petersburg International Folk Fair Society (SPIFFS) and its Asian Pacific Rim members will capture the flavor of many of the nations that represent this corner of the world.

Experience the culture and foods of the Chinese, Fijian, Filipino, Hmong, Indian, Korean, Laotian, Samoan, Thai, Taiwanese and Vietnamese at a festival that supporters hope will become a yearly event.

The Asia Pacific Rim Festival features exotic foods, dances, arts, crafts and music at the England Brothers Bandshell Park in Pinellas Park. Drink in an Asian beer garden and enjoy live music.

There will also be performances that will include drums, tai chi and Gigon exercise demonstrations, Samoan fire eater, Fijian warrior dancers, Indian Bangra music, Bollywood style dancers, classical Indian dancers, Thai, Hmong and Chinese dancers and the Chinese Dragon and Tongan dancers from the South Pacific islands.

Natives from each village will be costumed to greet visitors and demonstrate preparing ethnic food specialties. Get a jump on your Christmas shopping with traditional arts and crafts from each ethnicity. Eat your way around the Pacific Rim with ethnic dishes available to purchase.

There will be continuous entertainment on the main stage and in each village, with karaoke in the Asian Beer Garden and the tunes of the Soundwave Band.

An opening ceremony at noon features a medley of performances by all the ethnic groups. There will be a grand finale act, also.

SPIFFS is the only independent nonprofit, multicultural membership-owned organization in the country. Its mission is to preserve, promote, respect, encourage, educate and celebrate the ethnic traditions of the diverse population that call the Tampa Bay area home.

If you go

Asia Pacific Rim Festival

Where: England Brothers Bandshell Park, 5121 81st Ave. N, Pinellas Park

When: 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday

Admission: Free

Info: Call 552-1896 or visit www.spiffs.org

[Last modified October 6, 2007, 20:37:24]