CelebrAsian brings culture, food to Des Moines. What to know before going this weekend.

Des Moines will kick off summer with the annual festival that celebrates Asian culture and heritage.

CelebrAsian, Iowa's largest Asian American event occurring during Asian American and Pacific Island Heritage Month, starts on May 24.

Every May for the last 21 years, Des Moines has come together to enjoy food, music and activities centered around Asian culture. Over the span of the festival's history, the population of Iowans who identify as Asian or Pacific Island has reached over 94,000 and is growing.

The event was started by Kim Poam Logan, who also started the nonprofit Iowa Asian Alliance which hosts CelebrAsian. Poam told the Register during an interview in 2023 that she started CelebrAsian to create an emotional connection for everyone involved, whether that be nostalgia, joy or education.

When is CelebrAsian 2024?

The 2024 CelebrAsian festival takes place at Des Moines' Western Gateway Park from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, May 24 and Saturday, May 25.

How much does CelebrAsian cost?

The event is free to attend, but be prepared to spend money on food or merchandise.

What other events are at CelebrAsian?

This will be the third year the festival will host a car show featuring Asian-manufactured and designed cars. There are more than 10 performers ranging from singers to breakdancers to a string quartet.

The Market Bazaar showcases small business owners, health and wellness organizations and nonprofits with more than 50 vendors. There is even a robotics booth where students design, build, program and operate robots. Students will domo their robots in a competition and can participate in a robot fashion show. At the end of CelebrAsian Sunday there will be an award ceremony.

Robotics isn't the only competitive event. There will also be a table tennis tournament for all experience levels.

What are the Friday entertainment options at CelebrAsian?

The festival entertainment will kick off at 1 p.m. Friday with a performance by singer, songwriter and ukulele player Teri Underhill. While Underhill is from Norwalk, Iowa, her family is from Hawaii. Her performance will be a blend of her talents rooted in her culture.

From there performances continue on into the night featuring a new band every hour. Some entertainment throughout Friday including the band S.A.F.E at 5:30 p.m., a breakdancing group known as the Des Moines Breakerz and turntable master Fuzon Rave by Fuzon Unlimited to end the night starting at 8:30 p.m..

What are the Saturday entertainment options at CelebrAsian?

After the opening remarks at 11 a.m., the Vietnamese Village will present a cultural performance. The dance features the uniquely traditional attire for Vietnamese weddings and the Lunar New Year at 11:20 a.m. Various performances will continue throughout the day roughly every 25 minutes.

The Filipino Village will perform at 12:25 p.m. where they will dance with "BUYOG" or clay pots on their heads. Clay pots are traditionally used for getting water or cooking, and the Binoyugan Dance is known as "the celebration of abundance."

Learn the ways of a samurai by watching Burai Productions' interactive sword fight at 12:50 p.m. You can not only learn about Japanese culture but also experience basic samurai movements, sword handling and the manner of speaking, according to the IAA website. Other events throughout the day include a martial arts demonstration, SCARS Dance group and the CelebrAsian Fashion show.

The night will conclude with an Asian Drag show starting at 6:50 p.m., followed by a performance by singer Roland Abante at 8 p.m.

What foods and drinks are at CelebrAsian?

Dozens of vendors will offer food and merchandise along the streets lining the park.

Depending on when you attend CelebrAsian, you can also see cooking demonstrations in the festival's culinary tent located near the Des Moines Public Library.

Friday

• 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.: Deep fried tofu bites by Bill Lu with Global Food Discovery

• 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.: Okonomiyaki by Miki Takayama with Japan Village

• 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.: Tom kha kai by Sao and James Lee with Thai Village

Saturday

• Noon to 1 p.m.: Thum muk hong (Lao papaya salad) by Vithoun Saysopha with Tai Dam and Loa Village

• 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.: Hmong Eggrolls by Jade and Jayden Song with Hmong Village

• 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.: Tempe Mendoan (fried soybean cake) by Laurentine Wibowo with Indonesian Village

• 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.: Stir fry beef with shredded potatoes by Terry Hu with Chinese Village

• 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.: Chả Giò (Vietnamese Eggroll) by Brenda Tran with Vietnamese Village.

• 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.: Crispy shrimp wrapped in noodles by Nong Newberg with Thai Village.

Where to park at CelebrAsian 2024?

Free parking is available for the festival at the Nationwide Ramp. The entrance is located at 12th and Walnut streets.

The festival will be spread down Locust Street and intersect with 12th and 13th streets. On-street parking is also available on streets around the festival. Meters must be paid until 9 p.m. each night.

Kate Kealey is a general assignment reporter for the Register. Reach her at kkealey@registermedia.com or follow her on Twitter at @Kkealey17.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: CelebrAsian returns to Des Moines. Parking, what to know before going.