The third annual festival celebrating the contributions and community of Asian Americans will bring two Fridays of events to grassroots gatherings in Charlottesville.
On Friday, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., the annual recognition of May as Asian Pacific American Heritage Month will kick off with a First Fridays art exhibit at the Bridge Progressive Arts Initiative that will focus on artists and wine enthusiasts from Asian-American origin. Then, on May 10, a special edition of Fridays After Five at Ting Pavilion will feature a wide variety of musical and cultural performances as well as a Laughing Dragon Kung Fu lion dance.
Spending spring evenings together in a festive setting can help build and strengthen community bonds while overcoming stereotypes, said organizer Jay Pun.
“How can we communicate with each other? It's all about celebrating each other's differences and similarities,” Pun told the Daily Progress. “We are going through a tumultuous time, and the more we can come together and support each other, the better.”
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Last year, the VeryAsian VA festival brought Asian American wine lovers to the dairy market. This year, fans can catch them at an art event on First Fridays at the Bridge Progressive Arts Initiative.
COURTESY OF JAY PUN
Friday's art event at the bridge will draw attention to local artists including Sri Kodakalla, Novi Bereens, Meesha Goldberg, Jannatul Pramanik and others. There will be a wine tasting presented in collaboration with Oenoverse that will highlight Asian American wine lovers in the Charlottesville area.
The First Fridays event is free; donations will be accepted for the Bridge and for the VeryAsian Va Festival 2025.
Next week's Friday After Five festivities will include not only music programmed by AfroAsia and Morwenna Lasko & Jay Pun, but also performances by Dhara Goradia 3, Freddy Lau & Tina Hashemi, Sylvia Chong and Hiromi Johnson, as well as the crowd-pleasing lion from Laughing Dragon Kung Fu. dance.
Asian American performers entertained visitors at last year's VeryAsian VA Festival. This year, in addition to Fridays After Five May 10 headliners AfroAsia and Morwenna Lasko & Jay Pun, listeners can hear a variety of Asian American artists.
COURTESY OF JAY PUN
Snacks will also be available from various vendors, including local Asian businesses Chimm and Little Manila.
The festival began when the COVID-19 pandemic stoked xenophobia across the country and many Asians and Asian Americans were harassed and attacked. Realizing that hard work was needed to bring people together in a tense time, organizers held the first event in the outdoor space across from the Dairy Market on Preston Avenue. The combination of musical performances and spoken word segments was successful in attracting local residents.
In AfroAsia, Pun will play the phin, a Thai stringed instrument, alongside Mike Chang on electric guitar, Houston Ross on bass, Ivan Orr on keyboards and Kofi Shepsu on drums. Together, they delve into an energetic 1970s funk style that draws heavily from American funk.
Vibrant music can remind listeners that just as Asian and American listeners have much to share with and learn from each other, it is worth making the effort to break down the stereotypes and assumptions that can separate people.
“Things take time,” Pun said of the link-building process. “It paves the way for and inspires the next step.”
Community builds as Oenoverse reminds people that wine lovers from all walks of life are welcome at the table and the Laughing Dragon lion dancers demonstrate how successful large-scale efforts are created when individuals work together and coordinate their talents.
The VeryAsian VA Festival is all about creating community, and that includes everyone who comes to see what's going on and finds their own place in the festivities. Pun said the public has an important role to play in the success of the festival and that of the community.
“Let’s celebrate that you’re here too,” Pun said.
