626 Night Market is an annual night marketfood festival located in the 626 area code region of San Gabriel Valley, northeast of Los Angeles. Its events are held 10 times a year from May to September. Each 3-day night market event draws up to 100,000 attendees with more than 250 participating food, merchandise, and craft vendors, as well as art and music attractions. The flagship 626 Night Market is held at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia and has since expanded to include locations at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa and the Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton. The organizers state that it is the largest such market in the United States.
History
Conceived by Jonny C. Hwang, a businessman born in Taiwan and raised in southern California, the market was inspired by the night markets of Asia, especially the Shilin Night Market in Taipei. The inaugural market was held in 2012 and drew an unexpectedly large crowd that clogged the streets of Old Town Pasadena, initially drawing negative criticism from attendees and allegations of mismanagement. The market subsequently relocated to Santa Anita Park. The events are known for their large selection of Instagram-friendly foods, ranging from traditional night market snacks found in Asia such as stinky tofu and meat skewers to fusion cuisine such as pho tacos and ramen burgers. Vendors are local businesses, entrepreneurs and aspiring chefs that may already own a restaurant, retail store or food truck, or are launching a new product or brand for the first time. Since the first 626 Night Market event in 2012, a number of other night markets have emerged in Los Angeles and Orange County, including the KTOWN Night Market, the Little Saigon Night Market and the MPK Night Market. Many notable Asian American artists have performed at 626 Night Market, including YouTubers Joseph Vincent, Jun Sung Ahn, Jason Chen and the Fung Brothers, and rapper MC Jin. The August 2013 event featured a gigantic glass filled with 320 gallons of black tea, milk, and tapioca pearls, which the organizers dubbed the "world's largest cup of boba tea." 626 Night Market established OC Night Market at the OC Fair & Event Center in 2014. DTLA Night Market was held for a limited run next to Staples Center in Downtown Los Angeles in the same year. The first cosplay contest was held in 2014 and has since become an annual tradition. Contestants are judged for best costume, best performance or best group. Actor and models Yoshi Sudarso and Peter Adrian Sudarso hosted it in its second year in 2015. Shannon Lee, actress and daughter of martial arts film star Bruce Lee, with the Bruce Lee Foundation launched a new line of iced tea inspired by Bruce Lee’s own recipes called Bruce Tea at 626 Night Market in 2015. Lee and dance crew Kinjaz also did a special meet-and-greet at the event. In 2018, the 626 Night Market team launched NorCal Night Market at the Alameda County Fairgrounds in northern California. On May 2, 2019, Billboard announced the 2nd annual Head in the Clouds music festival presented by media collective and record label88rising for Saturday, August 17, 2019 at Los Angeles State Historic Park with a food section curated by 626 Night Market. 88rising artists Rich Brian and Niki made special guest appearances at the 626 Night Market events. 626 Night Market collaborated with Los Angeles apparel brand Kinda Fit Kinda Fat for a food-themed fashion show called Food Fashion Frenzy on September 1, 2019. Contestants wore designs based on food and winners of the fifth season of America's Best Dance CrewPoreotics performed as the headliner act. Special guests and judges included Poreotics dancer Can Trong Nguyen, Quest Crew dancers Ryan "Ryanimay" Conferido and Dominic "D-Trix" Sandoval, vlogger Bethany Mota, actress Sarah "Smac" McCreanor and model Breena "Bree" Ylaya. As of 2020, all events were renamed to 626 Night Market, with OC Night Market now referred to as 626 Night Market - OC and NorCal Night Market as 626 Night Market - Bay Area.
