The 12th Knox Asian Festival will make its return to World’s Fair Park on Sunday, August 24, 2025, 10:30 a.m. -6:30 p.m.
Tickets may be pre-purchased through Eventbrite for $3 for visitors 12 years and older. Tickets can be purchased at the gate on the day of the festival for $5 (cash and card accepted), so the community is encouraged to pre-register to take advantage of discounted admission. Visitors under 12 years old will enjoy free admission.
As customary, the festival will open with the Asian Cultural Parade. The parade route will begin near the Festival Lawn Splash Pad and conclude at the Amphitheater, where delegations from over a dozen countries will be accompanied by the Clayton-Bradley Academy orchestra.
Besides the parade, visitors can enjoy rotating performances across three stages: the main stage at the Amphitheater and two satellite stages at the Performance Lawn and Festival Lawn.
Key Points:
Sumo shows at the Festival on August 24 will be at 1:20 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. at the Amphitheater.
Polynesian fire-dancing and hula at 3 p.m. by the Dawn Mahealani Douglas and Mahealani’s Polynesian Entertainment .
Other performances include Benten-ya street performers, Korean fan dancers, k-pop dance covers, Japanese shamisen (banjo), Chinese martial arts, and many more.
All performers schedule: https://www.knoxasianfestival.com/info/schedule/.
There will also be a cosplay contest hosted by Yama-Con. Additionally, guests will be treated to over fifty food vendors, over eighty arts and crafts vendors, and activities for the whole family.
The popular Passport Program has been revamped. The first 3,000 participants will receive a realistic passport booklet, encouraging festival-goers to visit each country’s representative pavilions, collect stamps, and win prizes. Highlights include the Japan Pavilion’s popular Green Tea ceremony (featuring a mobile teahouse created by students from the University of Tennessee’s School of Interior Architecture) and the Thailand Pavilion’s Loy Krathong flower festival, Indonesia Ganmalan Music trial and more.
Due to feedback from previous years, KAF will provide many opportunities to beat the heat and escape the sun. There will be misting stations throughout the park, as well as water stations to provide cold, filtered water free-of-charge. First 8,000 people will get a FREE water bottle at the Gate. The Splash Pad will be open to festival-goers, as well. EMTs will be on the scene to assist during emergencies. KAF and the Asian Culture Center encourage taking proper precautions to prepare for the weather, as the event occurs rain or shine.
ACCTN is currently still recruiting volunteers for the festival. Those interested are encouraged to apply through the Asian Festival website. We would also like to extend our gratitude to our generous sponsors.
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