SEAFEST 2026 will launch Asian American Heritage Month in Westbrook

By AI, Created 10:58 AM UTC, May 20, 2026, /AGP/ – Khmer Maine and the Filipino American Samahan of Maine will host SEAFEST 2026 on May 2 at Riverbank Park in Westbrook, Maine, as a free, daylong celebration of Southeast Asian culture. The festival opens a month of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month events tied to the Maine Asian American Community Center project.

Why it matters: - SEAFEST 2026 is designed to spotlight Southeast Asian and Asian American culture in Maine through music, food, dance and shared traditions. - The festival also serves as the first event in a May series tied to Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. - The event aims to strengthen cultural exchange and community ties across Maine’s diverse communities.

What happened: - Khmer Maine and the Filipino American Samahan of Maine will present SEAFEST 2026 — A Southeast Asian Heritage Festival — on Saturday, May 2, 2026. - The free, family-friendly event will run from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Riverbank Park in Westbrook, Maine. - The two organizations are partners in the Maine Asian American Community Center project. - The festival is open to people of all backgrounds.

The details: - SEAFEST 2026 will feature live cultural performances, along with opportunities for interviews with organizers, performers and vendors. - The event will include photo and video opportunities throughout the day. - Attendees can learn more about the Asian American Community Center Project at the festival. - The event page and related information are available at more information. - Khmer Maine is a community-led organization based in Portland, Maine, focused on Cambodian American and Southeast Asian communities through arts and culture, food and agriculture, and civic engagement. - Khmer Maine was founded by survivors of the Cambodian genocide and their descendants. - The Filipino American Samahan of Maine represents Filipino Americans across the state and focuses on cultural preservation, mutual support and civic engagement.

Between the lines: - Marpheen Chann, executive director of Khmer Maine, framed SEAFEST as more than a festival and as a recognition of Asian Americans’ contributions to Maine’s social, cultural and economic life. - The festival gives the Maine Asian American Community Center project a public launch point during a month dedicated to Asian American and Pacific Islander heritage. - MAACC is positioning itself as a future hub for arts, workforce development, English language classes, small-business incubation and social services for more than 26,500 Asian American Mainers. - The center project says it is intended to address gaps in language access, economic opportunity and healthcare in the Greater Portland region.

What’s next: - SEAFEST 2026 is set for May 2, with press invited to attend. - The Maine Asian American Community Center project will continue promoting events during May as part of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. - MAACC’s capital campaign will continue as the organization works toward building Maine’s first Asian American community center in Greater Portland.

The bottom line: - SEAFEST 2026 is both a cultural festival and a public marker for a broader effort to build Asian American community infrastructure in Maine.