There’s nothing more American than a cultural festival.
Enter the Many Moons Festival, bringing food, shopping and culture this Saturday, Oct. 4 to Sebastopol’s Ives Park, organized by the Asian-American Pacific Islander Coalition, North Bay.
The moon is many things in Asian traditions, goddess, calendar, yin, concepts varying with each culture. Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders celebrate the moon’s importance to the autumn season in some of their most sacred traditions, from the Mid-Autumn Festival to Diwali to Ramadan.
These Americans from Asia or Asian families share a story with all of us. To leave the old world behind and set out into the new is one thing all Americans share—by force, choice or circumstance, knowing what it means to move to a new land while trying to bring along what one can of the old, the familiar, the proven, the wisdom and aesthetics of the place one’s people came from.
“In many ways, we have been a silent population for too long,” said AAPIC president Laurie Fong. “This festival is a ‘coming out’ to say we are here, we want to contribute and we have much to offer.”
The festival is for everyone who wants to learn, explains AAPIC director of development Lisa Johnson-Foster. “What better way to understand and support Asian cultures than to jump right in, taste, see and hear it for yourself, right in Sonoma County?”
Festival goers will enjoy a fashion show, martial arts demos, craft wares and experiences like the mesmerizing dance calligraphy of SoCo’s own JunJun Li.
More than a dozen vendors—most North Bay-based—will be offering food and treats. Think dim sum, boba, pad Thai, poke, curries and more. Vendors include: Shokakko, Momo Man, Lata’s Indian Cuisine, Shogun Japanese Restaurant, Wanna Thai Kitchen, Ube Area Bakery, and, of course, Kona Ice.
Local business owner Lani Chan of Big Spoon Sauce Co. will have her chili crisp sauces for sale while she does a dumpling demo. Asian parties gotta have dumplings.
This writer for one will be frequenting the Tambayan Filipino Eatery. Filipino workers and ranchers have been a part of the North Bay for a long time and helped to establish and tend many of the oldest vineyards in Napa—how about learning more about that story over a bowl of pancit?
AAPIC formed in response to the Asian Hate wave that came along with everything else frightening during Covid, to connect the sometimes isolated AAPI communities and provide resources for safety and support. They started by reaching out to one group at a time.
“Always around food, really great food,” said Fong; for example, Korean Thanksgiving. “That was really awesome.” Is there any doubt?
Understanding that connecting the Asian communities was only a part of an effective response to hate, AAPIC created Many Moons as a way to deepen the appreciation of our local Asian culture within the demographically larger white and Latin communities.
Connecting these richly varied Asian groups with the greater community of Sonoma County so we can all get a little better at enjoying each other’s culture? Over dumplings? It’s time to get out there.
Many Moons Festival runs from 11am to 7pm on Saturday, Oct. 4, at Ives Park, 7400 Willow St., Sebastopol. Tickets at $10 in advance at Oliver’s, Pacific Markets and online. $15 at the door. Visit manymoonsfestival.com.
Children 12 and under are free!!!