Dragon boats will once again slice across Symphony Lake in Cary next Saturday, September 19, as the 11th annual Asia Fest returns to Koka Booth Amphitheatre with a lineup that mixes cultural performance, street food, and free community health screenings. The daylong festival is the only one in the Triangle region featuring dragon boat racing, and it typically draws around 10,000 attendees to the lakeside venue in Regency Park.
The event was first previewed by CBS 17, whose Trent Gilbreath outlined the festival's mix of cultural performances, dragon boat races, and an Asian food festival set for the amphitheatre grounds. According to a press release from Koka Booth Amphitheatre, this year's edition carries a special theme tying the festival's own 11th anniversary to the countdown toward America's 250th anniversary of independence, weaving local Asian heritage celebrations into the broader national milestone.
The races themselves take place on Symphony Lake, a body of water sitting immediately next to the amphitheatre, according to venue documentation from the Town of Cary. The lake and amphitheatre provide a setting for both the boat competition and the surrounding festival grounds.
A Community Health Fair Alongside the Festivities
Beyond the races and stage shows, organizers have built in a returning Mini-Health Fair offering free screenings, wellness resources, and consultations, according to event schedules published by AsiaCarolinas. The addition gives attendees access to health-related resources alongside the festival activities.
Festival co-presenter Asian Focus NC is a non-profit dedicated to helping underserved Asian American families in North Carolina overcome language and cultural barriers as they acclimate to life in the U.S., per organizational details published on Koka Booth Amphitheatre's event portal. Attendees are also being asked to bring donations of essential toiletries, with proceeds and goods benefiting two designated charitable beneficiaries this year: the No Woman No Girl Initiative and the Tzu-Chi Foundation, according to an announcement from the venue.
Forty-Plus Performances and a Growing Local Audience
On the main stage, festivalgoers can expect live performances featuring traditional and contemporary Asian arts, according to stage scheduling information published by Asian Focus NC. The lineup reflects the festival's range of cultural performances.
Ticket prices are structured to keep the event accessible across generations: advance general admission runs $10, rising to $12 on the day of the event, while children 12 and under and seniors 65 and older get in free, per official ticketing rules released by Koka Booth Amphitheatre. The tiered pricing appears designed to accommodate multi-generational families attending together.
The festival's 11th edition will bring its program to Koka Booth Amphitheatre, where it will serve as a large-scale cultural gathering.
Cultural Performances and Community Activities
The 11th annual event will offer cultural performances, food, and community activities for festivalgoers.
With dragon boats, dozens of performances, food vendors, and a health fair all converging on one lakeside campus, Asia Fest's 11th year is shaping up as both a cultural showcase and a practical resource day for Cary's Asian American community. The festival runs Saturday, September 19, at Koka Booth Amphitheatre and Symphony Lake in Cary.
