Liem Nguyen (left) and Suong Le (right) of Liêm Sương Opera perform a traditional Vietnamese opera they wrote at Celebrate Little Saigon in Hoa Mai Park on August 15, 2026. Photo by Charissa Soriano
Celebrate Little Saigon marked its 15th year on August 15, 2026, welcoming community members with activities, performances, food, and beverages across three locations in the neighborhood: Hoa Mai Park, Little Saigon Creative, and Nisei Veterans Committee Memorial Hall.
Anh Nguyen, Arts & Culture Program Manager with Friends of Little Saigon, said that the annual event is “an effort by local business owners to come together and bring the greater Vietnamese community to Little Saigon.” The event aims to nurture a sense of community while creating greater awareness about Little Saigon as a neighborhood and what it has to offer. Nguyen pointed out that this year’s program featured more performers, including Liêm Sương Opera, Summer School, Tâm Dặng, and Pocket Theory Jazz, with musical numbers ranging from traditional Vietnamese opera to jazz blues.
Tâm Dặng performs “Pink,” his song about spring and cherry blossoms, during Celebrate Little Saigon at Hoa Mai Park on August 15, 2026. Photo by Charissa SorianoContestants in Celebrate Little Saigon’s phở-eating contest compete to finish their bowls of phở the fastest at Hoa Mai Park on August 15, 2026. Photo by Charissa SorianoContestants in Celebrate Little Saigon’s phở-eating contest compete to finish their bowls of phở the fastest at Hoa Mai Park on August 15, 2026. Photo by Charissa Soriano
The Pho Eating Contest, which took place at Hoa Mai Park alongside the performances, brought together both returning and new contestants with heaping bowls of pho and delicious iced coffee sponsored by Phở Bắc and Hello Em, respectively. Contestants had different tricks up their sleeves to finish quickly, including one who poured iced coffee into his bowl of pho. Ultimately, the winner finished in just two minutes and 27 seconds.
After the community-loved competition, Celebrate Little Saigon hosted its first Spring Roll Wrapping Contest sponsored by Viet Wah, with families and individuals joining in the fun. Dr. Mytoan Nguyen-Akbar, a board director of Friends of Little Saigon, won first place with her impeccable wrapping skills.
Seattle restaurateur Yenvy Pham judges the spring rolls made by Jimmy W. and his children, daughter Sydney W. and son Tayden W. The family won second place in Celebrate Little Saigon’s spring roll-wrapping contest at Hoa Mai Park on August 15, 2026. Photo by Charissa SorianoMother Quynh Nguyen hypes up her son, Harrison Nguyen, before they compete together in Celebrate Little Saigon’s spring roll-wrapping contest at Hoa Mai Park on August 15, 2026. Photo by Charissa SorianoVinh M. (right) assembles his Lego spring rolls for the spring roll-wrapping contest at Celebrate Little Saigon in Hoa Mai Park on August 15, 2026. Photo by Charissa SorianoContestants in Celebrate Little Saigon’s spring roll-wrapping contest prepare their ingredients before the competition begins at Hoa Mai Park on August 15, 2026. Photo by Charissa SorianoCookie Trout, Marketing and Communications Manager of Friends of Little Saigon, congratulates mother and son Quynh Nguyen and Harrison Nguyen on winning third place in Celebrate Little Saigon’s spring roll-wrapping contest in Hoa Mai Park on August 15, 2026. Photo by Charissa SorianoDr. Mytoan Nguyen-Akbar, a board director at Friends of Little Saigon, celebrates winning first place in Celebrate Little Saigon’s spring roll-wrapping contest in Hoa Mai Park on August 15, 2026. Photo by Charissa Soriano
Right next to Hoa Mai Park, community organizations and vendors engaged with visitors, while the Asian American Zine Fest facilitated a zine-making workshop at Little Saigon Creative. One of the organizers, Meilani M., shared that they have been working with Friends of Little Saigon on “introducing zines to new audiences,” especially with their second annual zine fest coming up on September 19. Meilani said that zine-making is important because it democratizes knowledge by giving Asian Americans the ability to self-produce and self-publish.
Sherry Cannal of Giggles Inc. Face Painting paints on Kevin Pham’s cheek at Celebrate Little Saigon (CLS) in Hoa Mai Park on August 15, 2026. Pham shared that it was his first time volunteering at CLS and getting his face painted. Photo by Charissa SorianoSherry Cannal of Giggles Inc. Face Painting paints on Kevin Pham’s cheek at Celebrate Little Saigon (CLS) in Hoa Mai Park on August 15, 2026. Pham shared that it was his first time volunteering at CLS and getting his face painted. Photo by Charissa SorianoCookie Trout (left), Marketing and Communications Manager of Friends of Little Saigon (FLS), and Quynh Pham (right), former Executive Director of FLS and current Director of the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods, host the phở-eating contest at Celebrate Little Saigon in Hoa Mai Park on August 15, 2026. Photo by Charissa SorianoLiem Nguyen (left) and Suong Le (right) of Liêm Sương Opera perform a traditional Vietnamese opera they wrote at Celebrate Little Saigon in Hoa Mai Park on August 15, 2026. Photo by Charissa SorianoLiem Nguyen (left) and Suong Le (right) of Liêm Sương Opera perform a traditional Vietnamese opera they wrote at Celebrate Little Saigon in Hoa Mai Park on August 15, 2026. Photo by Charissa SorianoClara Voyance performs before hosting Drag Bingo at Celebrate Little Saigon at Hoa Mai Park on August 15, 2026. Photo by Charissa SorianoClara Voyance facilitates Drag Bingo at Celebrate Little Saigon at Hoa Mai Park on August 15, 2026. Photo by Charissa SorianoClara Voyance performs before hosting Drag Bingo at Celebrate Little Saigon at Hoa Mai Park on August 15, 2026. Photo by Charissa SorianoClara Voyance facilitates Drag Bingo at Celebrate Little Saigon at Hoa Mai Park on August 15, 2026. Photo by Charissa SorianoA community member looks at shirts by Stephanie Mai Designs at Celebrate Little Saigon at Nisei Veterans Hall Memorial Parking Lot on August 15, 2026. Photo by Charissa Soriano(Left to right) Chloe Pham and Dhuong Druong of Dragonfly engage with a customer about their waffle mix products at Celebrate Little Saigon at Nisei Veterans Hall Memorial Parking Lot on August 15, 2026. Photo by Charissa SorianoCommunity members check out the booths at Celebrate Little Saigon at Nisei Veterans Hall Memorial Parking Lot on August 15, 2026. Photo by Charissa SorianoJoseph Carag of Summer School performs at Celebrate Little Saigon on August 15, 2026. Photo by Charissa SorianoCommunity members make their own zines at the Asian American Zine Fest during Celebrate Little Saigon at Little Saigon Creative on August 15, 2026. Photo by Charissa SorianoKae, one of the organizers of Asian American Zine Fest, shows their zines during Celebrate Little Saigon at Little Saigon Creative on August 15, 2026. Photo by Charissa SorianoCommunity members make their own zines at the Asian American Zine Fest during Celebrate Little Saigon at Little Saigon Creative on August 15, 2026. Photo by Charissa SorianoCommunity members check out the booths at Celebrate Little Saigon at Nisei Veterans Hall Memorial Parking Lot on August 15, 2026. Photo by Charissa Soriano
