Vibrantly colored hanfu dresses. The boom of tanggu drums. Plates of steaming dumplings and Sichuan noodles. On Saturday, Aug. 3, Pioneer Courthouse Square will come alive with the sights and sounds of Portland’s Chinese American community at the Oregon Chinese Festival.
The fifth annual event is set to feature free, family friendly fun and entertainment for all, courtesy of 530+ performers on the main stage, as well as food from six local restaurants, including Mandarin House and Home Taste.
Kids can enjoy crafts and cultural activities too, with opportunities to try out the diabolo, write calligraphy, and solve interlocking burr puzzles.
Another component of the celebration is health outreach. The Oregon Chinese Coalition will give away free nicotine gum as part of its No Smoking No Vaping Pledge Campaign and work with OHSU’s Knight Cancer Institute to organize screenings, access to clinical trials, and other services.
“Just as we will not give up on Chinatown with its rich heritage, we will be here when Portland needs us the most to help restore the vibrant life we were once proud of,” organizers wrote on their website.
Festivities will run 11 a.m.-6 p.m. and official T-shirts (designed by Sunset High School graduate Fiona Wang) will be available to purchase for $20.