Hundreds of people filled Pioneer Courthouse Square on Saturday, Aug. 1, for the Oregon Chinese Coalition's annual Chinese Festival, a daylong celebration of Chinese American culture that tied this year's programming to the nation's 250th anniversary.
About 40 acts took the stage between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m., performing traditional dances, martial arts demonstrations, and live music. Vendors served authentic Chinese cuisine while interactive booths displayed traditional crafts, antiques, and art at the downtown square at 701 SW 6th Ave.
Xi Chen, a Beaverton School District substitute teacher, performed on stage with a group from the Voice of Civic Engagement Award, an annual honor that encourages young people to speak up at public events and in community platforms. Other members of the group performed in the crowd.
Bryan Zhang, 16, staffed a booth promoting emergency preparedness and connecting Chinese Americans with community resources. Zhang told OPB in coverage published Sunday, Aug. 2, that many in the community lack connections to local services.
"They don't have the most connections, so we want to spread awareness so people have better access to these resources when they need them the most," Zhang told OPB.
The history Zhang referenced runs deep. Chinese workers made up an estimated two-thirds of the Northern Pacific Railway's workforce when construction of its western portion began in 1878, according to Washington State University research.
Nationally, Chinese laborers composed up to 90 percent of the Central Pacific Railroad's workforce during peak construction of the First Transcontinental Railroad, completed in 1869, according to History.com.
Organizers used the America 250 milestone to frame that history for attendees, connecting 19th-century labor contributions to the present-day community gathering downtown.
Upcoming Portland community events
- 27th William Byrd Festival: Through Sunday, Aug. 16, at multiple Portland venues. Most events free.
- Ural Thomas and the Pain at Washington Park Summer Festival: Sunday, Aug. 9. Free, funded by the 2025 Parks Levy.
