Project · on the record since 2025 · discussed in 4 transcribed meetings

Asian Festival on Main

The Asian Festival on Main is an annual outdoor festival in historic downtown Fairfax City, founded in 2021 by Wendy Wong (co-owner of Standard Barbershop) in partnership with the Old Town Fairfax Business Association (OTFBA) and community sponsors. 7 separate matters touch this project; each has its own status.

Project

Sweet Mile

Apr 7, 2026City Council · item 1a
Discussion on Third Party Event Sponsorships
Identified as one of eight third-party events currently supported by the City, discussed in the context of reviewing the City's event sponsorship approach.
minutes agenda

Project

Ride of the Patriots

Apr 7, 2026City Council · item 1a
Discussion on Third Party Event Sponsorships
Identified as one of eight third-party events currently supported by the City, discussed in the context of reviewing the City's event sponsorship approach.
minutes agenda

Project

Labor Day Car Show

The Labor Day Car Show is a long-running community event in Fairfax with roots in Clifton, historically associated with the Clifton Lions Club, and now organized by Jeff Greenfield. The event is one of eight third-party events currently supported by the City of Fairfax, five of which involve road closures.

Apr 7, 2026City Council · item 1a
Discussion on Third Party Event Sponsorships
Identified as one of eight third-party events currently supported by the City, discussed in the context of reviewing the City's event sponsorship approach.
minutes agenda

Project

Fairfax City Pride

Apr 7, 2026City Council · item 1a
Discussion on Third Party Event Sponsorships
Identified as one of eight third-party events currently supported by the City, discussed in the context of reviewing the City's event sponsorship approach.
minutes agenda

Project

Fairfax Juneteenth

Apr 7, 2026City Council · item 1a
Discussion on Third Party Event Sponsorships
Identified as one of eight third-party events currently supported by the City, discussed in the context of reviewing the City's event sponsorship approach.
minutes agenda

Project

Fiesta Fairfax

Apr 7, 2026City Council · item 1a
Discussion on Third Party Event Sponsorships
Identified as one of eight third-party events currently supported by the City, discussed in the context of reviewing the City's event sponsorship approach.
minutes agenda

Project

Turkey Trot

Apr 7, 2026City Council · item 1a
Discussion on Third Party Event Sponsorships
Identified as one of eight third-party events currently supported by the City, discussed in the context of reviewing the City's event sponsorship approach.
minutes agenda

Other mentions

Mar 13, 2025Parks and Recreation Advisory Board · item 9
Stakeholder Updates
Kelly O'Brien announced the Asian Festival on Main will take place on May 18th.
minutes agenda
Feb 12, 2026Parks and Recreation Advisory Board · item 5h
Community Member Updates
Kelly O'Brien reported that the Asian Festival on Main is scheduled for May 17th; the Old Town Fairfax Business Association is requesting to expand the festival by one block and over 250 vendor applications have been received.
minutes agenda

In full

Now in its sixth annual edition, the festival celebrates Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander cultures through cuisine, art, music, and dance, and has grown each year into one of the largest Asian festivals in the DMV region, drawing thousands of visitors from across the region. For 2025, the festival was held on May 18th; for 2026, it was scheduled for May 17th, with the OTFBA requesting a one-block expansion and over 250 vendor applications received. The festival is one of eight third-party events currently supported by the City, and was discussed during an April 2026 City Council work session on third-party event sponsorships, where the Council favored a hybrid approach and asked staff to return for a follow-up at a future meeting.

Mayor Catherine S. Reed issued a proclamation in May 2026 designating May 2026 as Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Heritage Month and highlighting the 2026 festival as "the largest Asian Festival on Main to date."

Status

Still open

Staff has been asked to return to a future City Council meeting with a follow-up proposal on third-party event sponsorships (the hybrid of options 2 and 3 favored at the April 7, 2026 work session), which would affect the City's ongoing support framework for the Asian Festival on Main and seven other events.
An after-action meeting was noted as scheduled for May 27, 2026 to review the 2026 Asian Festival on Main and antique car show; outcomes of that review are not yet recorded.
The OTFBA's request to expand the festival by one block has not been recorded as formally approved or denied.

What members have said

Kelly O'Brien
As a stakeholder representative at the March 2025 PRAB meeting, O'Brien announced the Asian Festival on Main would take place May 18th. At the February 2026 PRAB meeting, O'Brien reported the 2026 festival is scheduled for May 17th, noted the OTFBA's request to expand by one block, and highlighted that over 250 vendor applications had been received.
Catherine S. Reed (Mayor)
In May 2026, Mayor Reed issued a proclamation designating May 2026 as AANHPI Heritage Month and encouraged the community to attend the sixth annual Asian Festival on Main on May 17th, calling it 'the largest Asian Festival on Main to date.'
unnamed council member (2026-04-07 work session)
During the April 7, 2026 City Council work session, one council member expressed appreciation for the OTFBA volunteers who built the Asian Festival on Main, describing it as 'one of the marquee events in this city,' and expressed hope that establishing a clearer sponsorship framework would help the event and all parties budget better going forward.
unnamed council member (2026-05-26)
At the May 26, 2026 meeting, a council member who described themselves as relatively new to the city praised the Asian Festival on Main alongside the antique car show as signature events, noting great attendance and a well-run event, and mentioned an after-action meeting scheduled for the following morning.

Positions as recorded in meeting minutes; votes without recorded comment aren’t summarized.

Discussion timecouncilcommission

Apr ’25

Apr ’26

May ’26

Discussed alongside

Topics that come up in the same meetings.

George Snyder Trail2 meetings Old Town Hall2 meetings Sherwood Community Center2 meetings Van Dyck Park2 meetings Parks Foundation2 meetings Thaiss Park2 meetings