Pacifica Square in Aurora will be hosting its annual celebration in honor of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month on Saturday.
The free festival, set to take place from 2 to 7 p.m., will feature a variety of attractions honoring both tradition and modern culture, according to organizers. Those attractions will span live performances, cultural showcases, food, art, games and activities for all ages — in addition to the over 50 shops, restaurants and food vendors that will be on-site.
Located at the corner of Route 59 and New York Street on the border of Aurora and Naperville, Pacifica Square is the largest Asian-centric shopping and lifestyle center in the country, officials have said.
The shopping center has been hosting cultural celebrations since 2021, and the Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Celebration has grown into one of its signature events, said Judy Ni. She’s the director of real estate at Windfall Group, which developed Pacifica Square.
“Every year, it just becomes bigger and more vibrant, more meaningful, as we see more families and community members return year after year to celebrate with us,” Ni said.
Now in its sixth year, the celebration is expected to bring between 500 and 1,000 visitors to Pacifica Square, according to Ni. She said the event’s attendees represent a “diverse cross-section of the community,” and that people come from around the Chicago area and beyond to take part.
Whether visitors are part of the Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander community or are simply curious about it, the celebration aims to give them a chance to experience “the richness of our cultures first-hand,” Ni said.
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“We honor tradition while also embracing what resonates with the younger generation today, from K-pop performances to cosplay,” she said.
One of the most popular events this year will likely be the K-pop performances, according to Ni. It’s been a major draw, she said, and it reflects something meaningful about the culture as it exists today.
In addition to the performances, other K-pop themed events are also set to take place throughout the festival day. At 4:30 p.m., a K-pop Demon Hunters costume competition will be held, and an hour later, attendees will get the chance to participate in a K-pop teaching session.
Ni said that she expects the Taste of Pacifica Eating Contest to also be one of the celebration’s more popular attractions. Those who dined at the shopping center’s restaurants got a chance to sign up for a chance to be in the contest, she said, and a random selection process will determine who gets to participate in the contest’s two rounds.
In past years, a contest’s food would all come from a single restaurant. But this year, Ni said that multiple restaurants will be pitching in, resulting in a “massive food competition” — so contestants will be able to bring a partner with them to help eat it all.
Of all the attractions happening at the Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Celebration on Saturday, the eating contest is the one Ni said she is looking forward to the most.
“It brings so much excitement and interaction with the crowd, and we just love seeing our tenants and local businesses participate with the community,” she said.
Beyond the K-pop events and the food eating contest, the celebration is also set to have martial arts demonstrations, laser tag, a gaming trailer, live DJ entertainment and a community art tent, the latter of which will feature both art showcases and hands-on arts activities, organizers said.
“Its less about being a formal showcase and more about creating meaningful experiences and celebrating creativity together as a community,” Ni said of the art tent.
She emphasized that the event is for everyone, even those who know nothing about Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander culture.