Panda Fest is known for its towering fruit skewers, colorful pastries and hard-to-find Asian street foods, but organizers say the festival is also designed to celebrate culture beyond what's on the menu.
The three-day event brought thousands of people to Pittsburgh's Station Square, where visitors could browse vendor booths, watch cultural performances and learn more about traditions from across Asia.
More than 100 vendors participated in the festival, offering everything from handmade goods and artwork to clothing, accessories and cultural merchandise. Throughout the weekend, attendees also gathered for live performances featuring music, dance and other cultural demonstrations.
For some visitors, that cultural experience was just as important
as trying new foods.
"Well, we actually love the Asian culture in general. My kids love Naruto. When I graduate nursing school next year, we're going to Japan next year. So we've seen the festival. I was like, what a great way to, like, start off trying Asian food," said attendee Micah Griffen. "So I said, I want the most bizarre thing here, which is this, squid on a stick."
Griffen said the festival gave her family an opportunity to explore traditions and experiences connected to a future trip they hope to take together.
Visitors spent much of the weekend moving between food stalls, shopping booths and performance areas. Many stopped to watch traditional and contemporary performances while others searched for unique gifts and handcrafted items from vendors representing a variety of Asian cultures.
The event's organizers describe Panda Fest as one of the largest celebrations of Asian food and culture in North America, with traveling festivals held in cities across the country. While the food often draws the biggest crowds, many attendees said the cultural experiences, educational opportunities and sense of community were what made the event memorable.
For Pittsburgh visitors, Panda Fest offered a chance not only to try something new to eat but also to learn more about the people, traditions and cultures behind those flavors.
This article by Gabby Sartori was created with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Panda Fest offers more than food in Pittsburgh
