Sparks Street came alive as Ottawa Asian Fest (OAF) closed its 2022 season with a bang. The popular street festival united dozens of street vendors and performers from a variety of Asian cultures.
In July, OAF returned to the streets of Ottawa for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and organizers and vendors said they were overwhelmed by the large crowd in attendance. By popular demand, the three-day celebration returned for a late summer edition, which took place from Sept. 23 to 25.
Food stalls lined Sparks Street with charcoal barbecues, jumbo meat skewers and unique sweet treats. Patrons enjoyed street food from Japan, Korea, China, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Tibet and the Himalayas while watching street performers at each intersection.
Inspired by the bustling night markets of Asia, OAF organizers said they sought to bring a large-scale Asian festival to Ottawa when they hosted their first event more than a decade ago.
“Other than a couple of smaller Vietnamese and Chinese New Year festivals, there wasn’t one that was on the same level as the other [ethnic festivals],” OAF marketing director Vinh Trang said. “Even when we first started, it wasn’t quite there yet. We just wanted to have a little more Asian representation in Ottawa.”
The event has since grown from a one-day Lunar New Year event to a grand multi-day summer festival. As a non-profit organization, Trang said OAF’s priority is to keep offering a free and authentic Asian night market atmosphere in Ottawa.
OAF also allows budding small businesses to reach the public. Korean-Japanese Barbecue (KJB) made its debut at the market this year, offering popular Korean street foods such as fish cake and rice cake skewers.
“This is our first time doing it at a new market, so we’re trying to bring more Asian food into Ottawa,” KJB representative Benny Chang said.
For many Asian Canadians, food is a way to connect with their roots. One bite of a homemade dish can bring back cherished memories and a taste of home.
“Since I’m living away from my family, I get kind of nostalgic for the way my parents make certain dishes,” third-year journalism student at Carleton and festival attendee Emma Zhao said. “Watching some Chinese lady make dumplings the way my mom makes it was really touching.”
Given this year’s turnout, Trang said he is optimistic for the future of OAF.
“[We want to] just keep going in the same direction we’re going now,” Trang said. “I’m not sure how much bigger we could possibly grow.”
Featured image by Emma Chang.
