From Sea to SEA: The NYC Southeast Asian Festival 2026
For AAPI Heritage month, come join us for the second edition of From Sea to SEA: The NYC Southeast Asian Festival. Brought to you in partnership across 12+ different Southeast Asian community orgs across NYC, we are so excited to bring together a day that celebrates the diversity and depth of the Southeast Asian community across NYC.
This will be an immersive lineup featuring ~30 vendors, ~12 different orgs/non-profits, several performances, and multiple sets of cultural activities. Whether you’re Southeast Asian or just SEA-curious, this is your invitation to experience the joy and depth of the Southeast Asian community in NYC.
This event is part of #AsianHeritageWeek by Asian Hustle Network, celebrating the Asian community worldwide.
SCHEDULE
1 PM - Doors Open - Vendor Market, Community Org Showcase, Activities, Raffles & Merch all available
2 PM - Performance #1 - Richmond Low's Dance Troupe
2:30 PM - Performance #2 - Faye, Chan, & Ryu
3 PM - Intermission
3:30 PM - Performance #3 - Juliet by Night
4 PM - Performance #4 - Words of Southeast Asia
4:30 PM - Intermission
5 PM - Performance #5 - Rhe
5:30 PM - Keynote Performance
5:45 PM - Closing Ceremony & Raffle Announcements
Scroll down for more details on our vendor market, performances, activities, and more!
WHAT TO EXPECT?
THE MARKET: Walk around the market, explore all the small businesses you can support, and talk to the owners who are excited to share their stories behind their brands!
PERFORMANCES: As you're walking around, check out performances from local Southeast Asian artists throughout the day! We will end with a special keynote highlighting the SEA diaspora.
ACTIVITIES: Engage in interactive activities highlighting different aspects of Southeast Asian culture
COMMUNITY ORG SHOWCASE: Meet local SEA community organizations and non-profits in NYC, learn their stories and how you can get engaged!
RAFFLES & MERCH: Throughout the day, there will be different raffles and merch sales. All sales will go towards the continued sustainability of events like this. Win prizes, get fun merch, and support community along the way. You can also pre-order raffles and merch through the SUPPORTER and VIP ticket types.
RAFFLE PRIZES:
Two free JetBlue round-trip flight tickets to any domestic or international JetBlue operated airports. Valid for one year.
Four field-level tickets to the Houston Astros vs New York Yankees game in August as part of the special "Vietnamese Hat Night" the Yankees is running with the Viet Creative Society. Each ticket comes with a custom Yankees hat designed by local Viet fashion designer LexyNiso.
A collection of four $25 gift cards to local Malaysian Restaurant Rasa, one of the best in the city!
A collection of books from Southeast Asian writers, curated by Singapore Unbound, a local literary community org supporting Singaporean and Southeast Asian writers
2x $50 giftcards from Kopitiam, a Malaysian staple in the city
10x $5 vouchers for Pink Lady Tart, an Asian-owned business serving delicious cheese tarts
Raffle tickets can be purchased in advance with the SUPPORTER or VIP TICKET types or you can purchase individual raffle tickets day-of.
PERFORMER LINE-UP
Richmond Low's Dance Troupe - Watch the beauty of Traditional Malay Dances (Zapin & Joget)
Faye Pattatan & Chan Wannapat, accompanied by Ryu Papat Lertchanvit on piano - Faye and Chan are a phenomenal duo of Thai singers with deep backgrounds in bringing joy to crowds through musical theater, song, and dance.
Juliet by Night - Juliet By Night is a Hanoi-born singer-songwriter based in Brooklyn. She makes funk-pop music inspired by a combination of Harry Styles, Billy Joel, and Bob Dylan.
Words of Southeast Asia (ft. Dena Igusti, Topaz Winters, Sarah Gambito)- Come through for a special reading from local Southeast Asian poets representing Indonesia, Singapore, and the Philippines
Rhe - Rheanna Atendido is a queer fil-Am singer-songwriter & theatre artist born and raised in Seattle. As an indie-pop artist, she tells stories that dive deep into grief, love, and identity; whether that’s through her solo music or original musicals. She’s a big fan of sad songs, hotdog dogs, and tiny spoons.
KEYNOTE PERFORMANCE
The event will end with a music score composed just for this event by local Vietnamese composer Hao Le and will be accompanied by dancing from Jessica Ho and with vocals from Faye Pattatan and Chan Wannapat.
The music score will feature instruments and influences from across Southeast Asia — from the khaen to the đàn bầu to the kubing to gamelan and much more.
VENDORS
Come support local Southeast Asian-owned businesses across art, crafts, food, drink, and more!
ACTIVITIES
Community Mural - As you come in, add your name to a community mural, learn and/or write greetings in different languages, and pin where they're from on a map of Southeast Asia
Ketupat Weaving - Learn this traditional art typically done during Eid in Malaysia as a form of celebration
Batik Making - Malaysian batik is a traditional wax-resist fabric art, primarily produced on the East Coast (Kelantan, Terengganu, and Pahang)
Dreamlink - Inspired by Filipino weaving traditions, Dream Link is a community artwork that reflects both the casual conversational atmosphere of weaving and the interlacing of separate threads into a unified tapestry
MEET YOUR PARTNERS
This year’s festival is a true collaboration across multiple different orgs thinking thoughtfully about how to bring together the Southeast Asian community!
TIER 1 PARTNERS
The Tier 1 partners are community orgs who directly organized the event, meeting weekly for months to plan and lead the event!
TIER 2 PARTNERS
The Tier 2 partners are community orgs who are being featured as part of the festival :)
MERCH
Purchase a one-of-a-kind tote bag day-of or receive one with any VIP ticket!
Pictures from Last Year's Festival (to see the vibe):
Refund Policy:
Tickets are non-refundable, if you can no longer attend then we encourage you to share your ticket with a friend!
Disclaimer:
By attending this event, you consent to being photographed and filmed. Photos and videos may be used for promotional purposes on social media, websites, and other event-related materials. If you prefer not to be photographed, please let a volunteer know.
Follow us on Instagram @fromseatoseanyc!