Thunderstorm warnings and heavy rain rescheduled most local events, but not the Aquarium of the Pacific’s 24th Annual Autumn Festival, highlighting traditions from China, Japan, Korea and the Philippines.
On Saturday and Sunday, approximately 100 people crowded the Aquarium throughout the two-day, 15 group musical festival.
Spectators – including friends, family and children – danced, laughed and smiled as they got to experience arts and cultures from around the world.
“I think it’s an amazing opportunity to be able to explore some different cultures that maybe we’re not used to on a daily basis,” said Burgundy James, who was an attendee at the festival. “[It’s] just a wonderful display of very friendly, warm, welcoming people willing to share their culture with us.”
James was visiting Long Beach for the first time and said she enjoyed the Long Beach Ondo Group, where the public was able to join in and dance with the musicians for multiple songs.
“I just think it’s pretty amazing how it can get the whole family involved [and] can get people learning about their neighbors, learning about more people that live with here in Long Beach,” said Chelsey Coleman, who has run the festival for five years. “I think that’s really important right now because there’s more trying to divide us than keep us together.”
The Aquarium honored Eung Hwa Kim, founder and executive of the non-profit Kim Eung Hwa & Korean Dance Academy, which provides education and training to help foster cultural awareness with its performances.
“It took me by surprise but I’m thankful that I’m a recipient as a representation of Korean culture,” Kim said. “My goal has always been not about these awards and titles, but how we expose Korean culture more to the general public and how we can let more people know about it.”
By far one of the most popular groups that performed was Viorhythm, a Violin Pop Fusion ensemble that has performed at the Autumn Festival three times. Audience members filled the first floor guardrails and the upper deck of the Honda Blue Cavern at the Aquarium to see the eclectic group perform.
Audience members were dancing along to different anime theme songs and even PSY’s classic hit, “Gangnam Style.”
Poshi Kawanishi, the daughter of the main violinist for Viorhythm, was dancing to every single song enthusiastically with sweat rolling down his smiling face. Audience members joined along, dancing with each song.
“I love it,” Kawanishi said about Viorhythm’s performance and about the Long Beach Autumn Festival. “It’s a mix [of different cultures], bringing Asian culture to the exhibition, letting us play, that’s amazing, it’s a great opportunity and they [the audience] can enjoy it as well.”
Elena Yamaga and Ritaro Izuaka, both performers and members of Viorhythm, said they felt happy and excited since everyone was having fun during their set.
“They’re representing culture in a fun way, they’re wearing light up clothes, they’re playing songs that everybody knows and they’re getting people to sing and dance, it’s so much fun,” Coleman said.
One constant throughout the two-day festival was Art Nakane, who performed six times over the weekend as a One Man Band. This weekend marked 21 years Nakane has wowed audiences at the Aquarium of the Pacific’s Autumn Festival.
“It’s just my pleasure, I always look forward to it,” Nakane said.
Nakane sang songs to the audience, blending electronic keyboard samples with occasional marocas and cymbal sounds mixed in. The Japan-based musician has a people-focused approach to his performances, oftentimes conversing with people and creating dedicated songs to them.
“I think it’s important for people to take the time to explore other cultures outside of their own,” James said. “To understand that while there are many differences among us, at the end of the day we’re all people.”
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