These celebrations of Korean culture are coming to Bergen County this weekend

Mary Chao, NorthJersey.com
·2 min read
16

Do you like food, music and fashion? A busy two days are ahead this weekend as Korean Americans in North jersey celebrate holidays.

On Saturday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., the Korean American Association of New Jersey will host its annual fall festival at Overpeck Park in Leonia. It will feature Korean mooncakes to celebrate the fall harvest, Korean alcohol tastings and a chance to win a trip to South Korea.

On Sunday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., Fort Lee Community Center will be adorned with bright swaths of silk during Hanbok Day celebrations hosted by Asian American Youth Council.

Deborah, Sophia, Joann, Rachel, Chloe show off there Dresses at the first festival celebrating Hanbok Day a Korean festival, Thursday, October 21, 2021.
Deborah, Sophia, Joann, Rachel, Chloe show off there Dresses at the first festival celebrating Hanbok Day a Korean festival, Thursday, October 21, 2021.

"We welcome all people from all cultures to learn about Korean culture," said Chang Lee, president of KAANJ.

More: Kimchi Holiday?Advocating for kimchi to be celebrated,

Korean Fest is free and open to the public. The gathering celebrates Chuseok, a South Korean holiday celebrating the full moon and harvest by eating mooncakes.

Cultural performances such as traditional Korean dancers, wrestling and K-pop will be performed on stage. There will be Korean vendors selling food, arts and crafts and contests with cash prizes.

New this year on the 21st anniversary of the festival are major giveaways. There will be a drawing for a massage chair that retails for more than $2,000 and a round-trip ticket to South Korea via Delta and Korean Airlines.

Korean beer and rice wine will be offered for tastings, Lee added. Over 1,000 people attend the festival annually.

More than 168,000 New Jersey residents can claim Korean ancestry, according to the association. About 70% of the state's Korean population lives in Palisades Park, Fort Lee and other Bergen County communities.

The event is a volunteer effort, with members of KAANJ contributing their time and expertise. The organization is keeping the event free to the public while charging vendors.

Dancers of the Korean Traditional Dance of Choomnoori (KTDOC) of Palisades Park perform during the rally. Hundreds gathered at Overpeck County Park for the Bergen County Unity Rally to stop Asian hate and bring people of different backgrounds together on Sunday, May 16, 2021, in Leonia.
Dancers of the Korean Traditional Dance of Choomnoori (KTDOC) of Palisades Park perform during the rally. Hundreds gathered at Overpeck County Park for the Bergen County Unity Rally to stop Asian hate and bring people of different backgrounds together on Sunday, May 16, 2021, in Leonia.

Korean pride will be on display the following day as the Asian American Youth Council hosts its second Hanbok Day at Fort Lee Community Center.

"Hanbok" refers to traditional Korean clothing, and luxurious designs dating as far back as the first century B.C. will be on display.

"A lot of our second generation and third generation are not aware of our cultural heritage and this beautiful garment," said Brian Jon, past president of the Tenafly-based Asian American Youth Council.

The hanbok can be traced back to the Three Kingdoms of Korea period, dating from the first century B.C. to the seventh century A.D., with origins in what is now northern Korea and Manchuria.

Its basic elements include the jeogori jacket, baji pants, chima skirt and po coat. The style remains unchanged in modern South Korea, with the hanbok worn for festivals, weddings and celebrations. The silk garments are imported from South Korea for the festival and New Jersey area residents will be modeling them.

Mary Chao covers the Asian communities and real estate in North Jersey. Email: mchao@northjersey.com.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Bergen County NJ Korean celebrations coming