PORTLAND, Ore. — The Oregon Chinese Festival returns to Pioneer Square on Saturday, Aug. 3, for a day of performances, traditional cuisine and cultural exhibits.
The festival begins Saturday at 11 a.m. with a welcome speech and High Pole Lion Dance followed by many other performances and demonstrations by local groups.
The event is put on by the Oregon Chinese Coalition, a nonprofit that promotes Chinese culture and heritage and serves the Chinese American community in Oregon.
The festival highlights traditional Chinese culture, offering a variety of food vendors, arts and history, alongside fun family activities.
Another big part of the festival, organizers said, is public health outreach and education, including cancer screenings, clinical trials, vaccination education and even air-conditioner distribution for seniors and high-risk groups.
There will also be a free evening gown giveaway, and makeup, hairstyling and Hanfu dress demonstrations.
According to festival organizers, this year's celebrations are increasingly important as they hope to rebuild Portland's community and cultural life, including the coalition's commitment to protecting the heritage of Chinatown and the Chinese American community.
Last year's festival drew large crowds just one day after the Lan Su Chinese Garden in Old Town was vandalized in a suspected bias crime.
The vandalism made organizers a bit nervous for last year's festival. But they said the crowd was as big and loud as it was to show support for the Chinese community. The electricity from last year's festival has performers excited to return this year.
"I just love the energy and spirit and how it brings the Chinese community together and I also get to meet new people and share my heritage with others. It's great," Claire Cao told KGW at last year's festival. "We plan to come back every year."
