The Dragon Festival, known earlier as the Asian-American Festival, was a prominent Asian Pacific event held each summer at Phalen Park in St. Paul. Its vision was to bring together the Greater Twin Cities community in celebration of the diverse Asian Pacific cultures. It sought to foster trust and a sense of community among Asian-Pacific ethnic communities, to enhance a sense of pride in Asian-Pacific Americans by respecting and honoring the dignity and value of Asian-Pacific histories, cultures, and traditions, and to affirm Asian-Pacific people's place within and contributions to the State of Minnesota. Its goals were to build bridges between the various Asian-Pacific communities, as well as among them and the wider social fabric of Minnesota by providing friendly competition through a dragon boat race; to promote understanding of various forms of Asian-Pacific artistic, educational, and athletic activities through cultural performances, martial arts, the healing arts, and outdoor/indoor Asian games, and to build community and establish collaborations with similar organizations in order to provide an incentive for Asian-Pacific Americans to participate in outreach programs of various community organizations.

Leo Treadway was involved with the Dragon Festival as a member of the Board/Planning Committee, and also had responsibility in such areas as general community outreach, fund raising, the parade, dragon boat races, awards, and opening and closing ceremonies.