Get A Glimpse Of China At The Seattle Chinese Culture & Arts Festival

On May 17 from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Seattle Center Armory Food & Event Hall, explore the traditional and contemporary influences of China at A Glimpse of China, a Seattle Chinese Culture & Arts Festival. This free one-day event will allow attendees to participate in cultural traditions covering 5,000 years of Chinese history.

The organizer of A Glimpse of China, the Washington Chinese Arts & Culture Committee (WCACC), was founded in 2005. WCACC is a 501©3 non-profit organization that strives to foster understanding, friendship, and opportunities between local Chinese and American communities, and between China and America, through art and cultural events, as well as other exchange activities.

The volunteer-run organization is operated by dedicated volunteers who share the same vision and passion for China and the United States’ cultural exchange. Over the past 19 years, WCACC has initiated and co-organized numerous community events in the greater Seattle area.

This year, there will be seven new vendors this year, including new food vendors, that will showcase a wider variety of China’s food culture. In addition, attendees can enjoy painting and calligraphy activities, admire vibrant artwork and traditional Chinese outfits on display, play fun Chinese games, and watch live folk-dance performances on the Armory stage.

“Our main theme is still to foster understanding, friendship, and appreciation between Chinese and other local communities through arts and culture. This event will showcase the unique Chinese arts and culture through Chinese performing arts/dance, music, visual arts/calligraphy interactive activities, lifestyle exhibitions, and seminars to the Seattle multicultural communities,” said A Glimpse of China organizer Dandan Ran.

This festival is in partnership with the WCACC, and is part of the Festál series of 25 cultural festivals presented by community groups and hosted by Seattle Center throughout the year.

Seattle Center Festál is a unique public program series of 25 free cultural festivals, each offering its own celebration of heritage and identity. These events provide a range of engaging programs and activities to cultivate a deeper understanding of the diversity of our region. Seattle Center Festál is produced in partnership with community groups, presented on weekends from January to November, and supported by the City of Seattle, Seattle Center Foundation, and 4Culture.

“Festál has included a Chinese heritage festival since its launch in 1997,” said Heidi Jackson, Managing Artistic Director of Seattle Center Cultural Programs. “Glimpse of China, curated by WCACC, offers a heartwarming day of traditional music and dance that showcases the outstanding multi-generational performers living right here in greater Seattle.”

Thanks to the support of Official Seattle Center Partners – Alaska Airlines, The Climate Pledge, Coors Light, Pepsi, Premera, Symetra, T-Mobile, and WaFd Bank – Seattle Center is the #1 arts and entertainment destination in the Pacific Northwest with 12 million annual visitors, generating $1.864 billion in business activity and more than $631 million in labor income annually.