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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>For more information about the festival, including free parking and free shuttle service, please visit <a href="http://www.clevelandasianfestival.org">www.clevelandasianfestival.org</a> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>8<sup>th</sup> annual Cleveland Asian Festival <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>For Immediate Release</span></b><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><b><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Cleveland, OH </span></b><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>– The Cleveland Asian Festival is an all volunteered based grassroots effort to highlight AsiaTown while celebrating diversity and Asian culture in Northeast Ohio. It is a major reason for the resurgence of and growth in Cleveland’s AsiaTown community.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>A record crowd of 48,800 attended the 7<sup>th</sup> annual Cleveland Asian Festival in 2016 and similar crowds are expected this year on May 20 and 21. For many it was their first visit to Cleveland’s AsiaTown and visitor surveys showed that a large majority planned on returning to shop and eat in the neighborhood throughout the year.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>The Cleveland Asian Festival features a variety of delicious food and drink options from about 20 Asian restaurants, two stages of Asian entertainment including martial arts demonstrations, a health pavilion with free medical screening and information, community resources, Trolley Tours of the neighborhood, a kid’s area and more. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Johnny Wu, co-founder of the Cleveland Asian Festival, said “The all-volunteer executive board and committee members of the Cleveland Asian Festival works hard all year to create an experience that not only AsiaTown but all of Cleveland and beyond can enjoy and be proud of.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>The Cleveland Asian Festival is a family-friendly event featuring free admission and parking. It has been named the Best Festival in Cleveland and one voter’s note summed up the responses: “Even though it's called the ‘Cleveland Asian Festival’ this spectacular two-day event is filled with so much culture and diversity; not just that of Asian descent, but the culture and diversity of Cleveland as well. As a growing city, festivals like these bring a city together, and it's always a great time!”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>About the Cleveland Asian Festival<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>The Cleveland Asian Festival’s mission is to bring cultural, diversity and economic growth to the AsiaTown neighborhood while celebrating Asian Pacific American Heritage month in May. The 8th Cleveland Asian festival will be held May 20 and 21, 2017 from 11am to 7pm on Payne Ave. between E. 30th St & E. 27th S. Admission and parking are free. No pets.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><a href="http://clevelandasianfestival.org">http://clevelandasianfestival.org</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>The 8<sup>th</sup> Annual Cleveland Asian Festival is made possible by the supports within the communities and sponsors, including: Ohio Arts Council, Cleveland Public Power, Asia Plaza, ImageLab Media Services, Cuyahoga Community College, KeyBank, Taft, Compass Self Storage, Third Federal, Kumon and Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Contact<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Johnny Wu, johnny@mdifilm.com<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>1419 East 40th Street Cleveland, OH 44103 <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Office: 216.539.4634<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><a href="http://www.clevelandasianfestival.org/"><span style='color:black;text-decoration:none'>www.ClevelandAsianFestival.org</span></a> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>###<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal>--------- <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:8.0pt'>Johnny Wu<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:8.0pt'>O: 216.539.4634<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:8.0pt'>Produce - Create - Deliver<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:8.0pt'><a href="http://www.mdifilm.com/"><span style='color:blue'>www.mdifilm.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:8.0pt'>inducted into The International Indie Filmmakers Hall of Fame for Outstanding Achievements in Film Editing<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:8.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:8.0pt'>Co-Founder/Co-Chair Executive Committee<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:8.0pt'>Cleveland Asian Festival<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:8.0pt'>May 20-21, 2017<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:8.0pt'><a href="http://www.clevelandasianfestival.org/"><span style='color:blue'>www.ClevelandAsianFestival.org</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:8.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:8.0pt'>Producer (2015-2017)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:8.0pt'>72<sup>nd</sup> Cleveland Cultural Gardens’ One World Day<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:8.0pt'>August 27, 2017<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:8.0pt'><a href="http://www.clevelandculturalgardens.org/"><span style='color:blue'>http://www.clevelandculturalgardens.org/</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:8.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:8.0pt'>VP of Organization and Public Relations<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:8.0pt'>OCA-Cleveland Chapter<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:8.0pt'>“Embracing the Hopes and Aspirations of Asian Pacific Americans” <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:8.0pt'>OCA Image TV- reaching over 200 million viewers each month<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:8.0pt;color:#1F497D'>OCA AsiaTown Voice Radio – Sundays 7pm at 88.7FM or listen online at <a href="http://www.ocagc.org/imagetv"><span style='color:blue'>www.ocagc.org/imagetv</span></a> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:8.0pt'>OCA Interactive Kiosk - Interactive Tablet at several AsiaTown locations to promote AsiaTown.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:8.0pt'><a href="http://www.ocagc.org/"><span style='color:blue'>www.ocagc.org</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:8.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:8.0pt'>Administrator<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:8.0pt'>Cleveland IndieClub<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:8.0pt'><a href="http://www.clevelandindieclub.com/"><span style='color:blue'>www.clevelandindieclub.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:8.0pt'><a href="http://www.facebook.com/groups/ClevelandIndieclub"><span style='color:blue'>www.FaceBook.com/groups/ClevelandIndieclub</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:8.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:8.0pt'>WKYC TV3 Community Advisory Board<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:8.0pt'>City of Cleveland Community Affairs Board<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:8.0pt'>St. Clair Superior Development Board Member<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:8.0pt'>2013 Minority Business Entrepreneurs Award Recipient<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:8.0pt'>Cleveland Museum of Art’s International Cleveland Community Advancement Task force<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:8.0pt'>Inducted into International Karate and Kickboxing Hall of Fame<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:8.0pt'>Inducted into World Head of Family Sokeship Council<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:8.0pt'>2014 Legendary Master of the World Head of Family Sokeship Council<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>