CELEBRATING THE YEAR OF THE DRAGON WITH ASIAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER FOOD, CULTURAL PERFORMANCES, AND THE SUPER BOWL!
LAS VEGAS, NV – February 6, 2024 – The Asian Community Development Council (ACDC) made history by hosting the inaugural Lunar New Year celebration in collaboration with the Super Bowl Host Committee. This groundbreaking event took place on the evening of February 6 at the F1 Grand Prix Plaza, marking a significant milestone in cultural integration within one of the world’s most watched annual sporting events.
A first-of-its-kind endeavor, the Lunar New Year celebration showcased the vibrant diversity of Las Vegas through 20 local Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI)-owned restaurants and food trucks, representing a variety of cuisines across the globe. Attendees at the Super Bowl LVIII Media Party, made up of 6,000 journalists and guests from across the country, were treated to an immersive cultural experience that combined the excitement of the Super Bowl with the rich traditions of the Lunar New Year. The event featured captivating cultural performances like lion dances and Taiko drumming, interactive activities, and fireside chats with iconic leaders of the sports industry.
“I was incredibly proud to be able to attend the Lunar New Year Celebration, an incredible and engaging celebration of culture and sport. It was truly a unifying event highlighting the rich diversity within AANHPI culture while acknowledging the growth of sports and Super Bowl 58 in Las Vegas,” said Las Vegas Raiders President Sandra Douglass Morgan.
The Asian American Foundation (TAAF) and the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) partnered to host the media and VIP talent lounge of the event, where talent and athletes were invited to participate in media interviews with AAJA journalists.
“This inaugural event was important to us because typically the Asian American community is not necessarily perceived as an integral part of the NFL or Super Bowl – yet, our community rallied behind this celebration with a national coalition of organizations that came together to celebrate this historic moment. We were able to bring organizations like the Asian American Journalists Association to this media party, AANHPI NFL players, D1 players, celebrities and even Olympic gold medalists to this event. Our objective was to also build a legacy going forward for AANHPI to be affiliated with Super Bowl events in the future and we were able to demonstrate the sheer amount of support that we have across the country for our community,” said One APIA Nevada Board Chair & LVSBHC Community Affairs Member, Evan Louie.
Over 100 AANHPI sports players attended the inaugural event, including San Francisco 49ers center and offensive guard Jesse Sapolu, Olympic gold medalist Kristi Yamaguchi, and Las Vegas Aces Assistant Coach Natalie Nakase. Notable AAPI figures emceed the night including NFL Anchor Mike Yam and Las Vegas Raiders Host Sibley Scoles.
“As the first Lunar New Year event with the Super Bowl Host Committee, the legacy we leave behind will shape NFL history. Local and national organizations all came together for this purpose because we knew how important it would be not only for this one night, but for years to come. This was a very special collaboration to celebrate the cultural diversity that defines our city and our community,” said Asian Community Development Council President and Founder and LVSBHC Community Affairs Member, Vida Lin.
This event would not be possible without the financial and heartfelt support of the community. Over $300k was raised to put on the momentous event through the generosity of sponsors including Clark County, ChimeTV Studio, The Asian American Foundation (TAAF), Las Vegas Raiders P.A.C.E., Caesars H.A.P.A., APIA Scholars, National ACE & ACE NextGen, and Imprenta Communications Group, Inc.
Featured Sponsors
Clark County
ChimeTV Studio
The Asian American Foundation (TAAF)
Las Vegas Raiders P.A.C.E.
Caesars H.A.P.A.
APIA Scholars
National ACE & ACE NextGen
Imprenta Communications Group, Inc.
Partner Organizations
Gold House
Asian Hustle Network
AMAZN HQ
Jing
AAPI Chamber of Commerce
Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA)
OCA Las Vegas
Asian Founded
Bamboo Bridges
Cultural Performances
Inter-Tribal Council of Nevada
Kaminari Taiko
Li Linhong Chinese Music Ensemble
Lohan School of Shaolin Kung Fu
Bonafide Band
Local AAPI Food Vendors
Little Ding’s
Neighbors
Generations Kitchen
Buldogis Gourmet Hot Dogs
Four4corners Streetkitchen
Red Rice
District One Kitchen & Bar
Xiao Long Dumplings
Tous les Jours
Boba X Ice Cream
Chubby Group
IstoryA
Brew Tea Bar
808 Sushi Express
Purpletopia Cakes n’ Stuff
Stick With Chicken
Weera Thai
RAPSA! Fil-Mex Fusion Food
Mochi Aulelei NV
Dilla Manila
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ABOUT THE ASIAN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL
The Asian Community Development Council (ACDC) is a nonprofit, non-partisan organization dedicated to building, connecting, and educating the Asian and Pacific Islander community in Nevada. ACDC was officially chartered in 2015 in Las Vegas and opened their Reno location in 2022. ACDC opened the Healthy Asians & Pacific Islanders (HAPI) Medical Center in August 2022. Among the services ACDC offers include: voter education, health insurance enrollment assistance, citizenship application assistance, vaccination clinics (Influenza and COVID-19), culturally-sensitive food distribution, College Readiness Bootcamp, GraduAsian, and the Asian Night Market.
For more information about the Asian Community Development Council, visit www.acdcnv.org