A Celebration of
Asian Cultural Arts including Music, Thai Elvis,Japanese Shamisen and Taiko Drumming, Dance,Acrobatics, Martial Arts, Kimono Fashion Show, Asian Cuisine and More.
 The Heart of Florida Asian Festival highlights the rich arts, cultures, and traditions of the Asian continent. The festival attracts local residents and tourists interested in learning about Asian culture. It also provides a forum for Asian-American citizens to celebrate their heritage and to showcase their talents.
As the region's only Asian-American festival, it is anticipated that the  event will attract numerous out-of-county visitors. Concurrent with the festival is the month-long Asian-American Awareness Celebration at the University of Florida campus.
Inside the Thomas Center's Spanish Court, the Liang Acrobatic and Comedy Show will return to the festival after being one of the highlight performances of last year. Liang is known to viewers of “America's Got Talent” for her feats of balance while spinning eight plates at once. She is also the only person who can hula 25 hoops while blindfolded. With comedian and emcee Bill Patti, Liang invites festival goers to experience the acrobatics, dance and music of China. Joining Liang in the Spanish Court will be a medley of Asian dances representing the dance traditions of various Asian cultures and an Indian sitar and tabla concert. In the Long Gallery, there will be demonstrations of calligraphy and Asian painting techniques.
Outside on the main garden stage, audiences will be treated to a medley of performances from Taiko drumming to acrobatics to local celebrity Pol Parsley performing as Thai Elvis.
Nationally celebrated MatsurizaTaiko will open the Heart of Florida Festival with a special "call to the festival" that will be performed on the roof of the Thomas Center. In addition to opening the festival, the Matsuriza drumming group will perform two 30-minute stage shows that include both taiko drumming and shamisen music. The shamisen is a fretless instrument known in Japanese as "three flavor strings."
 Sino Elite Acrobatics Group from Orlando will dazzle audiences with their spectacular feats. The group has performed at major national venues and is known for their northern dragon dance, acrobatics, vase juggling and unicycle bowl-catching act.
Thai Elvis Pol Parsley will sing the King of Rock 'n' Roll's greatest hits, while attired in his special red Vegas-style costume.
Throughout the day, the festival will also feature lion dance performances by Jacksonville's Experience Asia, martial arts demonstrations by Tallest Tree Dojo, Tai Chi demonstrations by Jackson Boulware DeWitt, traditional hoop and umbrella juggling by festival coordinator David Ballard and a kimono fashion show from Kimono USA. More acts are being added to encompass the theatrical diversity of the Asian continent. 
In addition to the diverse entertainment line-up, festival goers can dine on a variety of Asian foods and visit the numerous booths that will feature Asian arts, crafts and information about Asian cultural organizations.
The Heart of Florida Asian Festival is presented by the City of Gainesville Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs and is funded by an Alachua County Tourist Product Development grant. Admission is free.
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Entertainment Schedule and Map
Held in conjunction with
“A Journey through Eastern Civilizations:
From the Collection of William Earl Hutchinson’s
Theatre of Memory” Art Exhibition. 
Artifacts and Documents
Oct. 24, 2009 – Jan. 10, 2010
in the Thomas Center
Main Gallery.
A Repository for Sacred Books, Tibet,
19th Century,
12” x 24” x 6" |
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