Asian American Expo 2014
In the largest Year of the Horse celebration in America, the 33rd annual Asian American Expo is expected to draw more than 100,000 people, have continuous performances and feature a treasure trove of foods.
The event also will help people in Southern California ring in the Lunar New Year.
The event is the Asian version of the L.A. County Fair, especially since it also takes place at the Pomona Fairplex, said Gorden Cao, the director of operations for the Rosemead-based host, Chinese Overseas Marketing Service Corporation.
“The event will show how diverse and how unique overall Asian culture is,” Cao said. “We now have so many overseas vendors.”
In addition to about 275 global businesses looking to get into the U.S. market, the weekend event at 1101 W. McKinley Ave. will also have more than 525 booths from local vendors. Three food courts will feature different types of Asian cuisine and live, non-stop musical performances will take place on seven stages.
More than 30 different groups of entertainers — including YouTube stars Jason Chen and Meeghan Henry — will wow audiences from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Tickets are $9 for adults, $7 for seniors and $7 for children ages 4 to 12.
Although the Asian American Expo started as a trade show whose mission was to “unite and create a local mutual ground where all businesses have an opportunity to tap into the rapidly expanding Asian market,” Cao said it has become a family-friendly consumer event for Asians and those who want to understand that community better.
The expo started at the Pasadena Convention Center with 60 exhibitors. Today there are more than 800, demonstrating the growing prevalence of this ethnic group in the Pacific Rim economy, the event’s website said.
Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Filipino, Thai, Indonesian, Burmese, Vietnamese, Malaysian and Singaporean culture will be showcased through cuisine, merchandise and traditional performances.
There will be raffle winners throughout the day, a food eating contest and open mic karaoke.
Wells Fargo has been an Asian American Expo sponsor and participant for 15 years, spokesman Joseph Chow said.
“It’s great for someone to come in and get to know the Asian community, the Chinese community and see how passionate they are in starting business in the community, being part of corporate America, in having their own house, being entrepreneurs with new ventures,” he said. “It’s great to see all these people getting started.”
By Zen Vuong, Pasadena Star-News