Knox Asian Festival

The Knoxville Asian Festival has been pullin’ out all the stops for 13 YEARS now and it doesn’t look like they are slowing down! Head to World’s Fair Park in Downtown Knoxville on Sunday, August 30th for the Knox Asian Festival featuring a plethora of Asian food, education and performances. No, y’all, we mean performances. Hawaiian hula dancers, K-Pop, and waaay more are all on the schedule.

Heads Up: Tickets are $3 ahead of time but $5 the day of. There’s also a VIP event the day before with additional performances.

LEARN MORE & SNAG TICKETS HERE

VIP Cultural Celebration – Saturday, August 29

For guests who want an unforgettable start to the festival weekend, our VIP Cultural Celebration will feature:

• Performances by Matsuriza (the renowned taiko drummers from EPCOT at Walt Disney World)
• The Columbus Koto Ensemble
• Shawn Head, Japanese shakuhachi (bamboo flute) artist
• Korean Fan Dancers
• A meet-and-greet with Yoshi Momoki
• A traditional Japanese bento dinner

VIP tickets are available only in advance through Eventbrite, and the final day to purchase is August 17.

Welcome to the 13th Knox Asian Festival!

Sunday, August 30, 2026
10:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.
World’s Fair Park, Knoxville

This year’s festival is our biggest yet, featuring:

• More than 60 authentic Asian food vendors
• Over 150 arts, crafts, and commercial vendors
• The popular Passport Program, where visitors can explore 14 Asian countries through hands-on cultural activities
• Three stages of continuous performances throughout the day

Internationally Acclaimed Entertainment

We’re excited to welcome back Matsuriza, the legendary Japanese taiko drumming ensemble from EPCOT at Walt Disney World. Their breathtaking performances are always one of the festival‘s biggest attractions.

Additional featured performers include:

• The Columbus Koto Ensemble
• Japanese koto (harp) musicians
• Shawn Head, Japanese shakuhachi artist
• Korean Fan Dancers
• Cultural performers representing countries from across Asia

Celebrating 35 Years of Friendship

This year also marks the 35th Anniversary of the Knoxville–Muroran Sister City relationship. We are honored to welcome Mayor Aoyama and a delegation of 15 visitors from Muroran, Japan, to celebrate this milestone.

Our sincere thanks to our generous sponsors, including Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol, Knox County, the City of Knoxville, Arts & Culture Alliance, Visit Knoxville, the Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority, the Tennessee Arts Commission, The Boyd Foundation, DENSO, and many other community partners, whose support makes this event possible.

Festival Information

• 13th Knox Asian Festival
• Sunday, August 30, 2026 | 10:30 a.m.–6:30 p.m.
• World’s Fair Park, Knoxville, Tennessee