Asian Food Festival returns to Cincinnati this spring

in 2022, more than 30 vendors representing 13 different Asian countries served up specialties at The Asian Food Festival in Cincinnati. The festival turns 12 this year. CONTRIBUTED/WCPO

in 2022, more than 30 vendors representing 13 different Asian countries served up specialties at The Asian Food Festival in Cincinnati. The festival turns 12 this year. CONTRIBUTED/WCPO

One of Cincinnati’s most popular food festivals will return April 29-30 to the Court Street Plaza in downtown Cincinnati.

The Asian Food Festival is celebrating its 12th year and will bring local restaurants together in one place to serve small plates priced from $2 to $10. The event itself is free to attend and those who do will be able to enjoy live entertainment, local craft and Asian beer and family activities as well as the food offerings from vendors.

“The Cincinnati region has continued to embrace Asian Food Fest and helped this event grow year-after-year,” said Rob Weidle, lead event manager for Asian Food Fest, in a press release. “We’re looking forward to another unique experience that represents many of the cultures and traditions within our community.”

Applications for restaurant, food truck and secret menu vendors are still open, so it’s still unknown what kind of options visitors can look forward to this year, but in 2022 more than 30 vendors representing 13 different Asian countries served up specialties. According to the press release, organizers expect that number to grow in 2023.

“Every year we try to give everybody the greatest experience possible at Asian Food Fest,” said JP Leong, senior food procurement specialist at Asian Food Fest, in a press release. “We look for items you generally don’t see on a regular basis in Cincinnati. We want people to feel what it’s like to go into our grandma’s home for a meal and work with every vendor to give that experience.”

In 2021, the first year the festival returned after canceling for the COVID-19 pandemic, event organizers said more than 40,000 people attended — though that year the event was held in October, instead of the spring. The festival kicked off its first year in Cincinnati in 2010.

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