The Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation (SBTHP) presents the Asian American Neighborhood Festival, an outdoor festival celebrating Asian American heritage at El Presidio de Santa Bárbara State Historic Park Sunday, October 12, 2014 from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.  This free, family-friendly event celebrates the history and culture of the Asian communities that once occupied the area in and around the Santa Barbara Presidio.  The festival will transform the historic Presidio into a tapestry of diverse Asian cultures and communities.  Learn about a number of Asian cultures through performances, food, and hands-on activities.

 

Performances and artistic displays will celebrate the rich and vibrant traditions of our Asian American community.  Traditional cultural performances feature dance, drumming, music, and other performing arts.

 

Performance Highlights

 

Lion Dance by Camarillo Mi Zong Lo Han Kung Fu and Lion Dance Association  Enjoy a lion dance performance, a form of traditional dance in Chinese culture and other Asian countries, in which performers mimic a lion's movements in a lion costume. The lion dance is usually performed during the Chinese New Year and other Chinese traditional, cultural and religious festivals.

 

Taiko Drumming performed by Togen Daiko of Oxnard

Togen Daiko, a Buddhist taiko group based out of the Oxnard Buddhist Temple, will be giving a heart-pounding performance of the taiko. This group embodies a "Buddhist Taiko" style.

 

Japanese Folk Dance, Tanko Bushi, directed by Roberta Cook

Learn the steps to a traditional Japanese folk dance, Tanko Bushi with community members and friends.  Often referred to as the "Coal Miner's Dance," this dance is popular at the Obon festivals held during the summer months. Come join the fun!

 

Shakuhachi by Bob Sedivy  Listen to the gentle and often haunting sound of ancient Japanese flute played by this local artist. Shaku-hachi literally means, "one shaku eight sun" (almost 55 centimeters), the standard length of this style of flute. It was originally introduced from China into Japan in the 6th century and underwent a resurgence in the early Edo Period.  Its soulful sound made it popular in 1980s pop music in the English-speaking world.

 

Savor the taste of Asian cuisine including sushi from Studio Nihon, Indian food by Nimita’s Cuisine, and others.

 

Various performers will demonstrate their art throughout the day.  Try origami, the Japanese art of paper folding, learn about the ancient art of calligraphy and Chinese brush painting, and see bonsai.

 

On exhibit in the historic Cañedo Adobe at El Presidio de Santa Bárbara State Historic Park: Nihonmachi Revisited:  Santa Barbara's Japanese American Community in Transition, 1900-1950.

 

Visit the used book sale and support the Presidio Research Center. Used books for sale include a variety of hardbacks, paperbacks, fiction, and non-fiction; SBTHP is collecting book donations. Books may be dropped off at the Presidio Visitor Center at 123 East Canon Perdido Street.