1st Annual SoCal Asian & Pacific Islander Festival

OCEANSIDE, CA - The First Annual Southern California Asian & Pacific Islander Festival is coming to the Oceanside Civic Center on Saturday, April 29.

In recognition of the Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in May, multiple non-profit organizations have come together to create the all-day event that is free to the public.

The festival will include nearby Artist Alley as part of the experience along with other nearby small businesses. The events will include two main performance stages, martial arts demonstrations, a family cultural activity center by Studio ACE, accompanied by ethnic food and artisan vendors.

There will be a literacy program by the Oceanside Public Library and an interactive experience by the Oceanside Museum of Art. The event will also offer a quiet shaded lounge area for seniors.

The festival is a collaborative initiative begun last year by Kevin Shin and Ilima Martinez. The vision was simple; to educate Southern California about the beautiful cultures and traditions that originated from the Asian and Pacific Islander communities.

The festival’s mission is an expansion of Umeke, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, with a vision to educate local communities of Hawaiian culture through cross-cultural learning, along with working towards the equity and advancement of all marginalized and underserved populations.

The founder, Ilima Kam Martinez, established Kuhai Halau O’Ilima (KHOI) in Vista, where she teaches about the Hawaiian culture primarily in the performance art of Hula.

Kevin Shin is the owner of The Switchboard Restaurant in Downtown Oceanside, and saw an outpouring of support as he opened his Hawaiian-Korean fusion establishment in what could be considered the worst possible time, 2020.

As a member of the executive board for the Oceanside Chamber of Commerce, Shin has felt compelled to return the favor of generosity by giving back to the community. “As a Marine Corps veteran, I have a deep-seated love for the City of Oceanside. There is no better place to hold this event where we can look out to the vast Pacific and know there is family here and on the other side.” Shin also serves as a board member of KOCT and participates with various community organizations.

“As we enter 2023, this decade has presented so many challenges throughout our communities. We seem to be in a time where there is an incredible need to remember the traditions of our cultures, share a sense of humanity to a visceral level, and find commonality even when experiencing differences,” says Shin.

Oceanside is an ideal location for this event as almost every Asian and Pacific Islander nation is on the side of the Ocean.

For more info visit the event website: https://www.apifestival.com/