It was a celebration of all things Asian on Saturday for the 2012 Atlanta Dragon Boat Festival at the Lake Lanier Olympic Venue.Saturday’s event marked the 17th consecutive year of the festival, put on by the Hong Kong Information Center in Atlanta and many other areawide sponsors. What once began as a small spectacle for a limited number of boats and attendees has grown into a massive celebration of the culture and diversity of Asia.This was the third year the festival was held at Lake Lanier.Vendors served food and drink, including traditional Asian fare, and even offered a karaoke machine for those who dared to sing in front of strangers. The festival also had kid-friendly activities on hand, such as face paintings and costumed characters posing for pictures.The festival began early Saturday morning with a blessing of the boats by Buddhist monks.