City of Plano Celebrates Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month

A celebration of Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month comes to Plano this May with two amazing cultural events in downtown Plano. For Asian delicacies and traditional performances from the Chinese Cultural Center, Dallas Asian American Youth Orchestra and more, stop by Haggard Park in Downtown Plano on May 7. In addition, there will be a Free Asian Art Exhibition in the Courtyard Theater during the month of May, a joint exhibition between Dallas Chinese Calligraphy & Painting Association and North Texas Asian Photography Association. Check it out …

13th Plano AsiaFest

Enjoy different Asian delicacies, including Chinese, Indian, Thai and more! On the main stage, watch traditional Asian performances from a Lion Dance from the Chinese Cultural Center, traditional Chinese, Indian, Filipino, Indonesian and Korean dances, martial arts demonstrations, traditional Indian instrumental music and special performances by the Dallas Asian American Youth Orchestra.

The children activities have expanded this year to include activites for kids of all ages; they can draw, paint, play an instrument or a play a puppet with a librarian from the Plano Library. New to the children activities this year is the display of the 4D paper airplane by Jian Zhou, who will also help kids to make their own paper airplanes designed by Ken Blackburn, the Guinness paper airplane record holder.

*More information on the 4D airplane can be found below

When: Saturday, May 7, 2016, 10:30 a.m.–5 p.m.

Where: Haggard Park in Downtown Plano

Cost: Free admission. Visit asianamericanheritage.org for more details.

Plano AsiaFest is supported by the City of Plano and organized by Celebrating Asian American Heritage Foundation (CAAHF), a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to supporting education, arts, and cultural activities.

Free Asian Art Exhibition in Courtyard Theater:

In collaboration with Plano AsiaFest 2016, Dallas Chinese Calligraphy & Painting Association and North Texas Asian Photography Association are proud to present a joint exhibition highlighting both traditional and contemporary Asian Arts. This joint exhibition presents a rich variety of calligraphy, landscape, flowers and birds Chinese painting, and beautiful pictures of landscapes and portraits.

Both Dallas Chinese Calligraphy & Painting Association and North Texas Asian Photography Association promote the art as means of mutual understanding and cultural exchange in DFW community. The diversified artwork, feel the sensitivities of human touches on Chinese Xuan paper with nuanced brushwork and the free flowing of brush motions filled with vigor, emotions, abstraction, and etc. This exhibit is free and open to the public.

When: May 2–May 31, 2016

Where: Courtyard Theater, 1509 H Ave. Plano, TX 75074

Cost: Free

Reaching the Sky: Story of 4D paper airplane, by Zhou, Jian

It has always said the sky is the limit; “sky” has aroused imagination for man in a long time. Getting into air has been human dream and the exploration into unknown. I got into paper craft in my early years and was fascinated with airplane as teen. A few years ago, I got into making 3D model of paper airplane and tried to make them to fly. After many try and error, with help of learning some basic aerodynamics, I could finally made most of 3D paper airplane model fly (hence the 4d paper airplane). The 4D paper airplane leads to a good craftsmanship, the experimenting for aerodynamics and the exposure for rich human history in reaching the sky. It’s a unique comprehensive activity for education and recreation. I would like to introduce 4D paper airplane to the world and share the enjoyment with everyone. To celebrate the National Paper Airplane Day (May 26), I will help kids to make paper airplane designed by Ken Blackburn, the Guinness paper airplane record holder.