Second Annual Silver City Asian Festival
Diversity at its best where East meets West
Diversity at its best where East meets West
By Debby Tewes
The growing Asian business district in Milwaukee’s Silver City
recently celebrated the second annual Silver City Asian Festival.
The city closed roughly six blocks (from 35th Street) for the
event, which kicked off with a parade led by the lion dancers
from the Whitefish Bay Kung Fu School. A second stage was
added this year to accommodate a growing list of entertainers.
Many new vendors joined, as well as additional food booths that
tantalized the taste buds of visitors. The festival featured a full
day’s line up of martial arts demonstrations and food demos from
Thai BBQ, Vientiane Noodles and Thai Lotus. Presentations on
traditional healing methods, Tai Chi and the always popular
dance moves of Bollywood were also featured. A new event
this year was the presentation of Miss Hmong Milwaukee, Mai
Xiong Vang, who sang for the audience.
Silver City is a part of the Layton Boulevard Neighbors West
initiative and is a business district within the city of Milwaukee.
Many of the newcomers to the area are continuing the rich
tradition of Milwaukee’s immigrant families starting businesses
near their homes. The Silver City neighborhood lies just up from
the former Menomonee Industrial Valley and has a distinct
neighborhood feel to it, with many ethnic groups owning homes
in the area. All work together to make the Silver City programs
successful and to improve the neighborhood aesthetically and
culturally. Within the span of a few blocks, you can find a Hmong
Restaurant (Rice Palace) which recently completed a patio for
alfresco dining. The building is the site of a former bar and
bowling alley and now boasts a hall for special occasions which
on any given weekend is hosting a wedding or family celebration
from the neighborhood.
(Clockwise from top) Silver City Parade
Festival organizer, Heather Ly, waving from
passenger seat of car driven by Bob
SenGupta. Miss Hmong Milwaukee Mai Xiong
Vang (2nd from left in back) Mai Kee Vang
(left), 1st runner up; Whitefish Bay Kung Fu
Club leading parade; County Executive Scott
Walker waves during the parade; Alex, Quali,
Ana & Marangely dance the Tinikling; A lion
dancer of Whitefish Bay Kung Fu Club takes
a break
Festival organizer, Heather Ly, waving from
passenger seat of car driven by Bob
SenGupta. Miss Hmong Milwaukee Mai Xiong
Vang (2nd from left in back) Mai Kee Vang
(left), 1st runner up; Whitefish Bay Kung Fu
Club leading parade; County Executive Scott
Walker waves during the parade; Alex, Quali,
Ana & Marangely dance the Tinikling; A lion
dancer of Whitefish Bay Kung Fu Club takes
a break
Travel east in the shadow of P&H Mining and up the hill from the valley where the Milwaukee Road and
Falk Corp. once employed thousands, and you can find Thai Lotus Restaurant, Noodle House Restaurant,
Vientiane Noodle Shop, Charles Vang American Family Insurance, Saigon Video, Asian International Market,
Rainbow Video, Jimco Nail Supply, Gayoua Bakery, SEA Financial, NTS Jewelry and Gifts, Legal Recourse
LLC, Viet Connection, National Avenue Child Care, Nat & Singh Handy Food Market, Family Salon, Thai
Entertainment, National Food Market, Asian Best Video/Western Union and Western Bilingual Translation and
Employment Service. These businesses are owned by Hmong, Lao, Vietnamese, Thai and Indian
entrepreneurs. Along with the mix of Asian owned businesses are Hispanic, Native American, African American
and the original ethnic groups of working class families of European heritage who moved here to work in the
factories and rail yards that once lined the Menomonee River industrial corridor. This community is one that
truly is a Milwaukee melting pot and provides affordable housing and building stock for new business ventures.
Heather Ly chaired the event this year with help from a great group of volunteers who put in many hours of work
to make the event a success. Besides ensuring that the tradition of an Asian Festival continues in Milwaukee,
the celebration serves to highlight the economic achievements of relative newcomers to the Milwaukee area
and the businesses that thrive in a neighborhood setting. It is also a chance for the rest of the city of Milwaukee
to visit an old neighborhood undergoing a renaissance.
Several of the Milwaukee public schools were represented by dance groups ranging from Pulaski High
School to Milwaukee Burbank. The dance instructors are Manisone Jadolon and Mrs. Maly Yang from Burbank.
The Hmong American Friendship Association, along with several other dance groups, provided dancers who
entertained the audience. I was also delighted to run into Kevin Styba and his parents, Loren and Mary. Many
of you who worked at Asian Moon Festival will remember Kevin as the young man who was Mary Ohno’s
number one fan. Mary is a kabuki dance performer from Tacoma, WA who entertained at Asian Moon Festival.
Kevin and his parents were always front row center for Mary’s performances. A close friendship developed and
Kevin was promoted to the position of emcee for Mary’s performances. He still wishes he could see Mary
perform again.
All of the volunteers and generous sponsors helped to make this event a huge success and thanks for
keeping the Asian culture accessible to the citizens of Milwaukee.
Falk Corp. once employed thousands, and you can find Thai Lotus Restaurant, Noodle House Restaurant,
Vientiane Noodle Shop, Charles Vang American Family Insurance, Saigon Video, Asian International Market,
Rainbow Video, Jimco Nail Supply, Gayoua Bakery, SEA Financial, NTS Jewelry and Gifts, Legal Recourse
LLC, Viet Connection, National Avenue Child Care, Nat & Singh Handy Food Market, Family Salon, Thai
Entertainment, National Food Market, Asian Best Video/Western Union and Western Bilingual Translation and
Employment Service. These businesses are owned by Hmong, Lao, Vietnamese, Thai and Indian
entrepreneurs. Along with the mix of Asian owned businesses are Hispanic, Native American, African American
and the original ethnic groups of working class families of European heritage who moved here to work in the
factories and rail yards that once lined the Menomonee River industrial corridor. This community is one that
truly is a Milwaukee melting pot and provides affordable housing and building stock for new business ventures.
Heather Ly chaired the event this year with help from a great group of volunteers who put in many hours of work
to make the event a success. Besides ensuring that the tradition of an Asian Festival continues in Milwaukee,
the celebration serves to highlight the economic achievements of relative newcomers to the Milwaukee area
and the businesses that thrive in a neighborhood setting. It is also a chance for the rest of the city of Milwaukee
to visit an old neighborhood undergoing a renaissance.
Several of the Milwaukee public schools were represented by dance groups ranging from Pulaski High
School to Milwaukee Burbank. The dance instructors are Manisone Jadolon and Mrs. Maly Yang from Burbank.
The Hmong American Friendship Association, along with several other dance groups, provided dancers who
entertained the audience. I was also delighted to run into Kevin Styba and his parents, Loren and Mary. Many
of you who worked at Asian Moon Festival will remember Kevin as the young man who was Mary Ohno’s
number one fan. Mary is a kabuki dance performer from Tacoma, WA who entertained at Asian Moon Festival.
Kevin and his parents were always front row center for Mary’s performances. A close friendship developed and
Kevin was promoted to the position of emcee for Mary’s performances. He still wishes he could see Mary
perform again.
All of the volunteers and generous sponsors helped to make this event a huge success and thanks for
keeping the Asian culture accessible to the citizens of Milwaukee.
Debby Tewes is Asian
Wisconzine's correspondent
in the Milwaukee area.
Wisconzine's correspondent
in the Milwaukee area.