Miss Friendship Pageant 2007

Yesterday, I went to cover the Chinatown Chamber of Commerce's 25th Anniversary Gala & Miss Frienship Ambassador Pageant. This was held at the Hilton Hotel in downtown Chicago. The dinner tickets was sold to raise money for the Chinatown Chamber of Commerce.. Raffle tickets were sold as well as a Silent Auction to help with the fund raising. There was entertainment and live music. The highlight was the Miss Friendship Ambassador Pageant. The winner of the pageant gets prize money, gifts, and a trip to Hong Kong to compete in the pretigious pageant.

The winner this year was contestant #11, Miss Nancy Yinan Xu (pictured in the center. Here are some PHOTOS I took.

2007 Chinatown Summer Fair

The 28th Annual Chinatown Summer Fair has come and gone. It was held Sunday, July 15th to a picture perfect day. Unlike last year where the temperature was above 100F. The Summer Fair is a day for exploring Chinatown and the various foods and gifts with cultural and musical entertainment. A great way to spend a day with the family. It's kind of a smaller scale Taste of Chicago

I had my camera in hand and took some photos of the variety of entertainment. The photos can be seen here

Cirque Shanghai is BACK

I attended a Press Conference and VIP Luncheon for the upcoming new full-scale theatrical production, Cirque Shanghai: Bai Xi. "Bai Xi," meaning "100 stunning acts." The press conference was held outdoors at the Chinatown Square stage. The troupe performed excerpts from their show, such as "Face Change," "Strong Man," and "Contortion." See the attached photos. It was an awesome display of talent and the short demonstration was enjoyed by all in attendance, especailly the kids.

Chicago is the only city in the United States that Cirque Shanghai: Bai Xi will perform in. The show runs from June 6, 2007 - September 3, 2007 at the Pepsi Skyline Stage® located at Chicago's Navy Pier®. For tickets, call Ticketmaster at 312.902.1500. For more info, see the the main page on http://www.chicagochinatown.com



The press was treated to a VIP Luncheon after the demonstration at the Phoenix Restaurant across the street. We got to meet the staff and performers.

Entrance to Chinatown

Here's a photo of the Chinatown gateway, on the main intersection of Cermak Road and Wentworth Avenue, for those who have not visited before.