API Heritage Festival

In liaison with the Novi Public Library and City of Novi Parks and Recreation, the Asian Pacific Islander (API) Heritage Festival is an annual student-led celebration showcasing various local food vendors, performers, and organizations. Spectators will be able to watch performances in the amphitheater, tour booths run by other student organizations and local businesses, enjoy a diverse collection of delicacies, and participate in cultural activities such as henna or letter exchanging. There will be a “traveling around Asia” theme, where participants can collect stamps on a “passport” and enter their filled-in passport as a raffle ticket for a prize. The festival is open for people of all ages and backgrounds to enjoy.

The API Heritage Festival is mainly led by students at Dear Asian Youth Novi (DAYN), an established Asian advocacy club at Novi High School. DAYN, founded in 2021, is the Novi chapter of an international organization, Dear Asian Youth, committed to educating and empowering Asian youth and allies. Since then, we have held monthly school club meetings, various volunteer events with the Novi Library, invited guest speakers, and participated in state and national conferences. Our team currently has around 20 members and a teacher sponsor. With a successful inaugural run in 2023, we are all dedicated to bringing about a vibrant festival in 2024!