626 Night Market shines a light on Asian cuisine and culture (Photo – 626nightmarket.com)
The 626 Night Market, billed as the original Asian night market in the United States, will return to Arcadia from Friday, June 19, through Sunday, June 21, bringing a weekend of food, shopping and live entertainment to Santa Anita Park.
By Melanie Hooks
Founded in 2012 and named after Southern California’s 626 area code, the event has grown into a celebration of Asian-inspired culture, highlighting a diverse mix of food, creativity and community.
The market will be open daily from 3:00 pm to 11:00 pm at Santa Anita Park, located at 285 W. Huntington Drive in Arcadia. Admission is $8, with tickets available online only. No tickets will be sold at the gate. Children ages 5 and younger are admitted free.
Visitors can explore a wide variety of vendors offering food, handcrafted merchandise and live performances. Entertainment includes DJs and traditional dance troupes with modern influences.
Food offerings span a broad range of flavors and cuisines, including Korean and Hawaiian shaved ice, dumplings, spicy shumai, Viet coffee banana pudding, pandan chiffon cake, island grill musubis, halo-halo, furikake salmon, Japanese hot dogs, lumpia buckets, wagyu sukiyaki, katsu, ramen and skewers.
Organizers encourage attendees to visit the event website, www.626nightmarket.com, for complete vendor listings. The market’s Instagram feed also showcases many of the featured dishes and food vendors.
Santa Anita Park offers free and accessible parking, and attendees are encouraged to use public transportation when possible. Only service animals are permitted at the event.
Whether attending for a single evening or all three days, visitors will find plenty of food, entertainment and activities to fill their time throughout the weekend.
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