If you have a title as long as the 28th Annual Asian American Festival: TexAsia! Deep in the Heart of Asian Art!, you better deliver. Thankfully, TexAsia! does. The festival transforms City Hallย’s Hermann Square into the enchanted Orient (or at least as close as we can get, given Texas weather). Performing arts groups representing cultural traditions from across Asia ย— including sword dancers, traditional musicians and rock bands, expert martial artists and beauty queens ย— will appear on three stages. And thereย’s also the first ever Texas Free-Style Lion Dance Championship, hosted by Hollywood star James Hong. 11 a.m. today and tomorrow. Reflection Pond at Hermann Square, 901 Bagby Street. For information, call 713-861-8270 or visit www.asianfestivalhouston.com. Free.

Sat., Oct. 20, 11 a.m., 2007

This article appears in Oct 18-24, 2007.