Asian Festival: Food, Culture & Dragon Boats

The Columbus Asian Festival is running May 23-24 at Franklin Park, with free admission, food vendors, cultural performances and community programming spread across the East Broad Street site. Organizers say the annual event has been held since 1995 and now draws more than 100,000 visitors. Festival hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday, May 23, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, May 24, according to the event’s official website and local listings. ### Where is it happening, and what does the weekend include? Franklin Park, at 1755 E. Broad St. in Columbus, is the main festival site for the two-day event. The festival listing from Experience Columbus describes it as a Memorial Day weekend cultural celebration featuring performances, food vendors, shopping, educational programs, cultural exhibits and free health screenings. (asian-festival.org) The official festival map shows multiple activity zones, including food vendors, marketplace booths, health and wellness tents, exhibit and country tents, a children’s area and stage areas across the park. A separate festival page says the event’s mission is to promote cultural diversity and community connection. (experiencecolumbus.com) ### How big is the event this year? Organizers say the festival attracts more than 100,000 visitors. Experience Columbus says attendees can expect performances by more than 50 artists and shopping from more than 40 marketplace vendors. The 2026 event is described by organizers as the latest edition of a festival that has received support from city, state, corporate and community partners over the years. (asian-festival.org) Local television station WBNS-10TV also reported more than 100,000 visitors were expected at Franklin Park this weekend. ### What kinds of performances and demonstrations are scheduled? The 2026 performance schedule lists acts and demonstrations across Saturday and Sunday at the Amphitheater and Heritage Pavilion. (asian-festival.org) Saturday’s lineup includes PAMANA Dance Group from the Philippines, Sen Gao Martial Arts Academy from China, Woorisori from Korea, Bangladesh Association of Central Ohio, Southern Fist Martial Arts, K-Nanta and Children of the Sun. Sunday’s schedule includes Children of the Sun, Sainritya Sangam, the Arirang Korean Drum Team and the Ohio Samul Nori. The same schedule also lists Tai Chi with Robert Tucker, yoga sessions with Sonia Bowen and other heritage-stage programming. 10TV reported the free event includes art demonstrations, Tai chi martial arts workshops, entertainment, vendors and food. ### What about dragon boats? The Asian Festival’s official website lists a Dragon Boat Race on May 17, 2026, at 233 S. (asian-festival.org) Civic Center Drive in Columbus, separate from the main May 23-24 festival weekend. Experience Columbus also notes that the festival’s dragon boat races and table tennis tournament take place in May. Columbus Monthly said the dragon boat race took place on the Scioto River near Bicentennial Park before the main festival weekend. (asian-festival.org) That means visitors heading to Franklin Park on May 23 or May 24 should expect the cultural festival itself rather than on-site boat racing. (asian-festival.org) ### How do visitors get there and park? Organizers posted free public parking and shuttle information for the weekend. The designated lots include East High School, Ohio State East Hospital designated lots and Columbus City Preparatory School for Girls, with St. Charles High School available on Sunday only. The parking notice says shuttle service runs from one hour before the festival until one hour after it ends. (columbusmonthly.com) The same notice says Village Network parking is available without shuttle service, and organizers tell visitors not to park on adjoining streets around Franklin Park. ### Where can people check the latest schedule? (asian-festival.org) The festival’s official website hosts the performance schedule, event map, parking information and vendor-related pages for the May 23-24 event. Experience Columbus and local media listings also direct visitors to organizers for the most current details. May 24 is the final day of the 2026 festival, with programming scheduled from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Franklin Park. (asian-festival.org) Organizers also list related May programming, including the table tennis tournament and the earlier May 17 dragon boat race, on the festival’s official channels. (asian-festival.org)