Thousands of miles from the Philippines, Railen Reyes and his family found a piece of home at Tallahassees 23rd annual Asian Festival.WATCH FULL REPORT BELOW: Experience Asia festival brings a taste of home to Tallahassee famili esHeld at Tom Brown Park, the festival brought people together to celebrate Asian cultures through traditional food, cultural experiences and opportunities to learn about different traditions.For Reyes and his family, the event was a chance to reconnect with their Filipino roots after spending years away from the Philippines.We came because we really wanted to feel like we were in Asia again, Reyes said.From traditional dishes to cultural experiences, Reyes said the festival offered reminders of home.The food trucks, the food tents, the Philippine culture, like the lechon," Reyes said.While the festival gave Reyes family an opportunity to reconnect with their heritage, organizers say bringing people from different backgrounds together is a central part of the event.Aurora Hansen, secretary of the Asian Coalition and event leader for Experience Asia, said the festival is about creating opportunities for people to learn about one another, make connections and share their cultures.Meshing all the cultures in the community, whether you're Asian, African-American, whatever, that's just a goal that we want to bring people together, to learn about each other, to have fun, to meet new friends, and to eat a lot of good food, Hansen said.Now in its 23rd year, the festival has grown significantly since its beginnings. Hansen said organizers initially expected about 250 people at the first event, but attendance reached approximately 2,500.The festival eventually outgrew its original location at Ponce de Leon Park and later moved to Chain of Parks, before finding its home at Tom Brown Park.Hansen said the event is also a way for the Asian community to give back to a city that has welcomed them.This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.Want to see more local news? Visit the WTXL ABC 27 Website. Stay in touch with us anywhere, anytime.Like us on FacebookFollow us on Instagram and X. ...read more read less