Pouring rain soaked the outside of the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach last weekend. But inside, dancers, musicians and community members were dry as a bone as they celebrated Asian culture.
Despite the weekend’s intense showers, the aquarium hosted its 24th annual Autumn Festival, which drew a diverse audience for two days of Asian cultural performances, art exploration and community connection.
The festival, taking place on Nov. 15 and 16, brought representatives from China, Japan, Korea and the Philippines.
While the rain interrupted some outdoor activities, many aquarium visitors stayed for indoor events, enjoying the cultural exchange as the sounds of Taiko drums, singing, laughter and cheers filled the aquarium’s first floor and theater.
Ryujin Taiko, a high-energy, interactive taiko drumming ensemble, delivered a thunderous performance for guests at the Aquarium of the Pacific’s Honda Blue Cavern on Nov. 15. Yoichi Terada | Long Beach Current
Inside the Honda Pacific Visions Theater, visitors enjoyed Filipino traditional dance, Japanese Taiko drumming, a Northern Chinese Lion Dance and a martial arts demonstration—just on the first day.
Beyond performances, the aquarium lobby was transformed into an interactive classroom.
The festival featured exhibitions and demonstrations from individual organizations, including Asian history book lessons from East West Discovery Press, origami lessons from Peninsula Paper Folders and a Sumi-e Japanese ink painting showcase from a Long Beach Sumi-e group.
Visitors also crafted Kimekomi dolls and browsed through bilingual Chinese books and baby toys from Bitty Bao.
Bitty Bao, a bilingual children’s books and toy company, exhibited Chinese books and toys at the Aquarium of the Pacific on Nov. 15. Anthony Pacis (left) and Kelly Wang hold up bilingual children’s books meant to bridge cultures and strengthen family bonds. Yoichi Terada | Long Beach Current
As artists demonstrated and shared stories about their culture, adults and children alike learned through close observation.
Carol Mori, a representative from Peninsula Paper Folders, has attended the Autumn Festival for the past five years.
“It’s great exposure,” Mori said. “Art is making a comeback, and these events encourage people to participate individually or as a group. Origami especially helps teach children hand-eye coordination, which is very important.”
David Durr from Long Beach Sumi-e Group has a deep passion for the Japanese cultural art form, which involves writing with ink.
“I like the art form’s contrast of dark and light; it seems simple, but it’s really beautiful,” Durr said. “Sharing this with the public is important because many people have never seen this type of art; it’s rare these days. If arts like this aren’t practiced and shared, they can be lost, which would be a shame.”
David Durr, with Long Beach Sumi-e Group, invited guests to participate in the Japanese traditional ink practice inside the aquarium on Nov. 15. Yoichi Terada | Long Beach Current
Icy Smith, an author with East West Discovery Press, said events like these offer a valuable learning opportunity.
“People come for cultural performances and discovery,” Smith said. “Many visitors are delighted to see bilingual and culturally representative books, which are hard to find in regular bookstores. Kids respond positively and sometimes even want to try creating something themselves or learn more about the history featured in the books.”
Despite a smaller crowd, guests from Long Beach and beyond stayed throughout the event, which served as an educational and entertaining space to experience Asian heritage.
“Typically, attendance is high, but today’s numbers are lower than usual due to the rain,” event organizer Chelsea Quezada said.
It was several visitors’ first time at the Autumn Festival, including Aaron Wong from Glendale.
“I’m enjoying the various shows so far, and the event is very entertaining,” Wong said. “I enjoy seeing younger dancers; it’s different from what I usually watch, but it’s fun to see the energy from the young ones.”
It was also Tobie Flores’s first visit, who came with his coworker and family.
“Diversity and cultural diversity are great,” Flores said. “I’m a faith-based man and believe in loving my neighbor, no matter who they are.”
The performances gave visitors a front-row view of various Asian cultural traditions throughout the community, providing an entertaining and educational experience.
“I love it—seeing everybody come together and have a good time, maybe learning something new about the local community, or being exposed to cool music or interesting dance,” Quezada said. “It’s best to see them all smiling, and gatherings like this make people happy.”
Editor’s Note: Updated photo caption credit to the correct photographer on Nov. 19 at 9:46 p.m.