It may be mid-May, but it’s not too late to celebrate Asian American Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month!
In just the first two weeks, Philadelphia has held events around everything from the history of Black and Asian solidarity through art to celebrating Indonesian culture and Filipino food. And Philadelphians still have plenty of chances to explore and appreciate AAPI culture over the next few weeks — into June and through the summer.
Here’s a curated guide, in chronological order, to the many festivals, book readings, walking tours, volunteer days, educational workshops, and more taking place around Philly (and a few a short trip beyond!) this month.
Note: This list may grow as we become aware of more events.
Upcoming
Wednesday, May 14: NARUTO: The Symphonic Experience
A live concert that brings the beloved anime to life on a grand scale, at the Kimmel Center’s Miller Theater. This two-hour event features a montage of iconic scenes from over 220 episodes, synchronized to a live orchestra performing Toshio Masuda’s original score. Fans will relive Naruto Uzumaki’s journey to become Hokage, facing rivalries, challenges and growth along the way. Audience sing-a-long welcome! $59-$69 tickets. (7 p.m.)
Thursday, May 15: AAU Game Night
RSVP for this event at FACTS Charter School in Callowhill. They’ll have a variety of board games and snacks to share. Free with donations welcome. (5:30 to 7:30 p.m.)
Thursday, May 15: SEAMAAC’s 40th Anniversary Gala
The American Swedish Historical Museum hosts this fundraising celebration of the Philly nonprofit’s work serving the Southeast Asian community. Featuring multi-ethnic cuisine, performances and access to the museum’s galleries. $50 youth; $140 adults. (6 to 10 p.m.)
Friday, May 16: Stewards of Family History: Next Generations with Kyron Young
This exploration of the methods of collecting family history and archivism outside of the bounds of traditional academia is part of the Memory Workers Guild’s fellowship project with Asian Arts Initiative’s “Crescendo” exhibit. FREE. (6 to 8 p.m.)
Friday, May 16 + Sunday, May 18: Derrick Wang’s FEARLESS: A world premiere
Opera Delaware in Wilmington presents the world premiere of this new opera telling the story of Hazel Ying Lee, trailblazing World War II aviator and one of only two Chinese American pilots who were members of the Women Airforce Service Pilots. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. Friday and 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $35 to $109.
Friday, May 16: Lotus Lounge Drag Show at 254
Drag queen and host Asia Monroe takes the stage with surprise special guest performers from Philly’s AAPI and LGBTQ+ communities. Free with no cover. Tips for performers recommended. Food and drinks available to purchase. (10 to 11:30 p.m.)
Saturday, May 17: Ichiko Aoba: Luminescent Creatures Tour
Japanese singer, songwriter, composer and multi-instrumentalist Ichiko Aoba bends space around her, pulling listeners from reality and surrounding them in the comforting fabric of her imagination. She’s been casting these spells since her debut at 19 years old, making picturesque dioramas with only her voice and guitar. At the Miller Theater. $40-72 tickets. (7:30 p.m.)
Saturday, May 17: Asian American Pie II – In Celebration of AAPI Heritage Month
WXPN and MilkBoy host this show, featuring Kikashima, IKE (20th Anniversary Reunion Show) and Judah Kim. $29.67 tickets; waitlist available. (8 p.m. show)
Wednesday, May 21: “Moana 2” Movie Night
Watch the sequel on a 60-foot screen outdoors at Sunset Social. (7 p.m.)
Friday, May 23: Batik Workshop
Learn about the history and art of Indonesian batik, then practice the technique to create your own design! Free, but space is limited so make sure you RSVP! At FACTS Charter School. (4 to 7 p.m.)
Friday, May 23: SOUND TYPE: Kengchakaj x Nate Chinen at Asian Arts Initiative
Award-winning pianist, improviser and electronics experimentalist Kengchakaj’s practice engages with organizing and improvising sounds that draw inspiration from ancestral soundscapes and modes of collaboration and expression rooted in Southeast Asian tradition and lineage. Plus, featured guest writer Nate Chinen leads a public seminar exploring Kengchakaj’s sound practice. Donations encouraged. (8 p.m.)
Saturday, May 24: SASA Teach-In
Philly youth are invited to recap the civil action against the proposed Sixers’ arena in Center City and learn how to get involved in immigrant advocacy as Students Against the Sixers Arena and Ginger Arts Center focuses on preserving and building AAPI communities, culture and rights. Free with RSVP. (1 to 3 p.m.)
Tuesday, May 27: Book Club at Cupid’s Bookshop
The new romance bookshop in Manayunk welcomes AAPI featured author Ana Huang to talk about her novel, “King of Envy.” Free, but RSVP required due to limited space. (6:30 to 7:30 p.m.)
Wednesday, May 28: “The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift” – A Live Reading
Drift on over to Tattooed Mom on South Street for Theatre Contra’s live reading of the cult classic. (7 p.m.)
Saturday, May 31: AAPI Career and Professional Fair
Calling all AAPI high schoolers, college students and young professionals: Get resume/cover letter support, interview practice, meet with potential employers, and hear from/network with AAPI professionals in diverse career fields. Free with registration at bit.ly/aaucareerfair. (10 a.m. to 3 p.m.)
Saturday, May 31: Chinatown History Exhibit Pop-Up at the Crane Community Center
Bring old photos that you want to digitize, stories about your or your family’s connection to Chinatown, and your curiosity about Philly’s Chinatown!
Saturday, May 31: PAAFF 2025 Spring Showcase
The Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival’s inaugural Spring Showcase closes out AANHPI Heritage Month and honors Asian filmmakers and other creatives with a day of film screenings, performances and discussions. Included films include “Chinatown Cha Cha,” “How to Sue the Klan,” “Paper Marriage,” “The Queen’s Flowers,” and more. Various locations include Symphony Philly, the PMA, and the Asian Arts Initiative. Prices range from free to $25 per person.
Wednesday, June 4: Digital Gardening at Home with Khalil Abdellah
Participate in a DVD storage burning and USB storage backup session for cherished media information. Participants will use disk cataloging software to create digital gardens out of their stored data, and discuss methods and benefits of offline data storage (both personal and political) and optimize their collections for easy, managed sharing with community members. The workshop will also demonstrate ways of doing this same cataloging and digital gardening online, with platforms such as Are.na or Roam Research. At Asian Arts Initiative. (6 to 8 p.m.)
Saturday, June 7: Revolution Remix
Starting at the Liberty Bell and ending at Race Street Pier on the banks of the Delaware River, Revolution Remix shares stories of South Asians in Philadelphia from the 1780s to the present day. Hosted by the South Asian American Digital Archive, this walking tour will change the way you see Philadelphia and its history. $39.19 tickets. (10 a.m.)
Thursday, June 12: Memory Media Library: A Watch Party with Lois Cheaye
The Memory Workers Guild hosts this collective viewing of queer people of color in art, film, poetry, and other archived testimonials, held in the Asian Arts Initiative’s Callowhill space. (6 to 8 p.m.)
Ongoing
Through Saturday, May 31: AAPI Heritage Month / Jewish American Heritage Month joint celebration
With programming ranging from “Asian Americans and the Constitution” to “Speaking Out With Suffragists: Mabel and Ernestine,” this joint celebration of heritages and communities is a month-long affair at the National Constitution Center. Explore the impact and legacy of historical figures like Fred Korematsu, Justice Louis Brandeis, and suffragists Mabel Ping Hua Lee and Ernestine Hara Kettler. In-person and online. $0-$19 museum admission.
Throughout May: “Within Us” Film Series
As part of Visit Philly’s “In Pursuit of a More Perfect Union” project, this series focuses on the diverse voices and neighborhoods within the broader Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. “Within Us” celebrates that depth and diversity with weekly videos highlighting members of the community in Philly.
Through May: Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month @ the PMA
Browse the Asian Art Collections and check out the prints of the PMA’s collaborator artist Cynthia Zhou, whose “Every Railroad Runs West” uses the form of a Chinese kite to tell the story of the Chinese immigrants who built the transcontinental railroad throughout the 1860s. As these workers connected the West and East coasts, her work connects California to Philadelphia by incorporating pieces of rusted metal railroad from the Schuylkill River. $30 museum admission.
Through Sunday, June 1: “Endlings” regional premiere at Hedgerow Theatre Co.
A short SEPTA ride to Media, Pa.’s Hedgerow Theatre will bring you to this new play, written by Celine Song and directed by Kalina Ko, taking place on the Korean island of Man-Jae. “Three Haenyeo — fascinating sea women — spend their dying days diving into the ocean to harvest seafood. On the island of Manhattan, a Korean-Canadian playwright, wrestles with both the expectation that she write authentic stories and her own inclination to commodify her identity, but who, exactly, is she?” Tickets are $20 for youth 18 and under, $35 for adults.
Through Wednesday, June 11: ‘Lost In Animation’ Film Series
This month’s movies at the Philadelphia Film Society showcase the genre’s range and innovation with screenings of “Love & Pop,” “Ghost In The Shell 2: Innocence,” and “Redline.” Various showtimes and dates. $14 tickets/$9 for PFS members.
Through Saturday, June 28: Crescendo: How Art Makes Movements (1981-1999) at the Asian Arts Initiative
Browse this historical survey of multidisciplinary art projects that intersected with Asian American social movements between 1981 and 1999. Largely inspired by jazz and improvised music, art forms central to the Black Arts Movement, the artists featured in this exhibition intended to redefine the presence of Asian Americans and broaden their artistic horizons beyond the politics of representation. Donations welcome.
Weekends through October 26: Southeast Asian Market in FDR Park
A classic warm weather destination, this annual weekend gathering — open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays — evolved from an informal cultural and economic hub for refugees and immigrants from Southeast Asian countries such as Indonesia, Cambodia and Laos for over 35 years into a tourist and not-for-tourist destination, as well as a catalyst for the creation of the Vendors Association of FDR Park, ensuring that the gathering of entrepreneurs and families will continue to thrive in the welcoming space they’ve carved out.
Season 1 is from April to June, and is found near the Broad Street exit (Picnic Area 17). Season 2 runs from July to October and is found near the Taney Baseball Field (Picnic Area 11).
