The story
Lowell Southeast Asian Water Festival in Lowell
Boat races along the Merrimack River give Lowell Southeast Asian Water Festival its central draw, with blessings woven into the celebration alongside performances and food. It returns every third Saturday in August, drawing Southeast Asian communities from across Greater Lowell. Two performance stages, a demonstration tent, and free riverboat rides round out the riverfront program.
You hear the river before you understand the day: cheering from the bank, music carrying across the park, and boats cutting through the water while families cluster under the August sun.