On Sunday, October 25, the inaugural Mekong Memphis Festival celebrated 50 years of Southeast Asian life in Memphis. In 1975, refugee families from Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand began settling in Memphis' historic Washington Bottoms neighborhood. They built homes, businesses, a temple, and a community that has continued to grow across generations.
Now, 50 years later, those families, their descendants, and the Memphis community far and wide are coming together for a reunion that celebrates their history, heritage, and the place they call home.
Mekong Memphis Festival Poster from 2026 Inaugural Event in Memphis, Tennessee
The festival brought the community together through traditional food, music, dance, art, and storytelling. It was a celebration of the journey from the Mekong River to the Mississippi River. Additionally, we invited anyone with memories of the neighborhood to bring old photos and stories to the festival, where they’ll be digitized to help preserve the community’s history for future generations! We can all take inspiration from what's happening in Memphis and think about how you could bring people together to celebrate the history and stories in your own community.
"But you don't live in Memphis, Kendra?" I was just waiting for you to ask that!
I've had the privilege of serving as the Festival Manager for this event through Kendra Harris. Co. While I've supported the planning, coordination, and logistics, the greatest gifts I've received from this experience have nothing to do with project management because this isn't just a group of people putting on a festival. This is their heritage, their history, and their stories being brought to life.
I'm incredibly thankful they've welcomed me into this experience and allowed me to play a small part in sharing those stories. The team I've had the pleasure of working with is one of the most diverse groups I've ever been part of. Everyone brings different talents, experiences, knowledge, and perspectives to the table, but they all share a commitment to making this celebration meaningful.
Being able to watch those differences come together to create something so special has been one of my favorite parts of this experience! If you missed the festival this year, we will be back in 2027! Follow Mekong Memphis Festival to stay in the loop.
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