Recently, I attended the second annual Sabaidee Fest which is a 3-day Southeast Asian music and culture festival. Having joined a small chorus of Khmer voices last year asking for Khmer representation, I appreciated the efforts to get more Khmer folks out this year with popular artists Vanthan and Vannda headlining. As someone who has never attended a music festival before, especially one that's uniquely SEA, I didn't quite know what to expect. But I did have some idea of how their first one went from posts and clips I had seen.
One thing that stuck out to me was the overwhelming Khmer presence, particularly on Saturday. I felt that everywhere I turned, there were Khmer folks! Festival goers draped their backs with the flag of Cambodia and others sported krama scarves over the shoulders. I, too, wore clothing to represent my heritage - handwoven cotton pants, to my custom seung shirt, and a seung skirt on the final day (all designed by my sister, owner of Rajana Threads btw!).
I loved the way the Khmer community showed up and showed out. We came together so beautifully for Vanthan and Vannda. For many of us, this marked the first time seeing them perform live in person. These two talented artists from Cambodia have been making waves in the Cambodia music scene for years now and rightly so as they're both incredibly skilled in what they do. Witnessing their talents with my community was an exhilarating and unforgettable experience I'll cherish forever!
As for the festival as a whole, there can definitely be improvements for next time. I attended the event as a volunteer with a non profit and many of us did not realize how far our tabling area would be. The layout felt disjointed and secluded from the rest of the event. A number of attendees remarked how they didn't know there was an entire other area to the festival. I felt that the culture stage (across from us non profits) was not used to its full potential and due to its location, performers did not receive a full audience that they deserved for all 3 days.
The food vendor area was quite the trek from the non profit/culture stage area, especially with the uneven dirt ground. I realized how inaccessible the festival location was. While I didn't see anyone with wheelchairs or other assistive devices with wheels, I could imagine how difficult it would be to get around the park. I wonder if there could be a better, more accessible location next time. Lastly, I wish there were proper hydration stations. Instead, there were several tents scattered about selling bottled water. It didn't make sense that we could only bring in empty bottles/flasks of our own, but had nowhere to refill them (aside from the very few obscure water fountains). Investing in proper mobile water hydration stations would be great for future fests, especially considering the hot weather!
Overall, Sabaidee Fest for me wasn't just about the music. It was also about connecting with others and meeting so many people - some of whom have been supportive of my business and creative journey over the years. I enjoyed seeing everyone and speaking with others about a wide range of topics such as deportation to how we could collaborate in the future. This is how I do community!
Thank you to Sabaidee Fest organizers and everyone involved for allowing an incredible space for our Khmer and SEA community to flourish together and be ourselves - unapologetically. Maybe you'll see me again at the next one! ;)
0 notes 🗨️:
Post a Comment