Cincinnati's Asian Food Fest has a record-breaking lineup of food vendors and entertainment for its 2024 festival.
Back for its 13th year, Asian Food Fest is the largest celebration of Asian food and culture in the region and is produced by the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber and Asianati. The festival will run Saturday and Sunday, April 27-28 on downtown Cincinnati’s Court Street, between Elm and Main streets.
In 2024, Asian Food Fest will offer attendees the chance to sample cuisine from 15 different Asian food traditions, with even more food options than ever before. Organizers say 66 vendors, including food trucks and brick-and-mortar restaurants, will be present — an increase of 19 vendors from 2023’s festival, which saw nearly 100,000 visitors.
“The growth of Asian Food Fest really shows the growth of the Asian community across our region and the ever-increasing interest in our food, cultures and backgrounds. None of us could have imagined this kind of growth 13 years running and we’re thrilled (Asian Food Fest) is a tradition that visitors of all ages look forward to. This year, our planning team is excited to bring even more diverse new flavors, new performances and new experiences along with our tried-and-true!” JP Leong, Asianati co-chair for Asian Food Fest, said in a press release.
Organizers say there will also be more first-time and unique vendors, and with that growth, they’re expanding the festival footprint to include the block between Race and Elm streets and part of Race Street to accommodate more vendors and add more space for visitors.
“As a proud partner of Asian Food Fest, the Cincinnati Regional Chamber is excited to see the festival’s continued growth. Each year, more and more people attend AFF, which creates a need for more vendors. More vendors means we can showcase a broader diversity of Asian foods and provide opportunities for more small businesses to get exposure to potential new customers,” Chelsea York, vice president of events and experiences of the Cincinnati Regional Chamber, said in the release.
The Secret Menu and Best of Yums will also return this year. You can see the full food vendor lineup here.
More food also means more fun. Asian Food Fest’s 2024 entertainment lineup is also the largest in the festival’s history, featuring dance, musical and other special performances, as well as contests. The lineup includes 19 different performances, including local and regional DJs, performances from cultures across Asia, rock bands, traditional dances, Taiko drummers, University of Cincinnati student groups and the Cincinnati Opera.
“We continue to celebrate the rich cultural diversity of Asia by providing festival visitors with even more entertainment from across the continent. We’re excited to celebrate all that Asia has to offer over two days and do it in the heart of Cincinnati with the surrounding community participating in enjoying our food, singing and dancing! We hope that the festival helps educate those curious to learn and experience all things Asia,” Vikas Sondhi, entertainment lead for Asian Food Fest, said in a release.
There will also be a karaoke contest over the two days of the festival. The Eastern Eats and Vocal Beats Karaoke Contest with DJ Hi David will feature 25 participants and take place Saturday, April 27 from 8-10 p.m. That will be followed by a Top 10 final round on Sunday, April 28 from 6-7 p.m. Asian Food Fest will release details on how to participate on its website soon.
See the full entertainment lineup here.
Asian Food Fest runs from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, April 27 and from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday, April 28. Admission is free.
Organizers say they are also looking for more volunteers. You can sign up to volunteer here.
Learn more about Asian Food Fest at asianfoodfest.org.
