From June 29 through July 1, the 626 Night Market creates an amazing outdoor experience that will feature food, merchandise, crafts, arts, games, music, and entertainment in a fun event that appeals to all ages. Over 250 food, merchandise, crafts, arts, and games will be featured in this Asian inspired night market throughout the perimeter of Santa Anita Racetrack in Arcadia.
Photo Credit: Chasing Hiromi Photography
While food is the main draw, there are plenty of other reasons to enjoy the 626 Night Market. Onsite vendors will feature unique handcrafted items, apparel, beauty products and handmade jewelry. Kids will appreciate the henna, face painting, and plentiful carnival games. Next to the entrance to the building is the main stage where cool Asian Hip Hop will be featured later in the evening.
In 2016, the late Anthony Bourdain was interviewed and he said ….”when it’s, like, street food or a one-chef, one-dish operation where they’re just somebody who’s really, really good at one or two or three things that they’ve been doing for a very long time that may be reflective of their ethnicity or their culture or their nationality. Those are the things that just make me happy.” I think the 626 Night Market comes close to delivering that experience.
Lobster with Garlic Noodles by Lobsterdamus
Half of the fun of an outdoor food festival is people watching and seeing who has the most interesting food. Some of the most Instagrammed will be:
- Uni with Rice with various toppings by Beach Live. Everything is neatly packed inside an uni shell.
- Wild caught Maine Lobster grilled on mesquite served with garlic noodles by Lobsterdamus
- Deep fried swirled potato on a stick by Hotato Potato.
If you adhere to Bourdain’s thinking about people that are really good at one or two things, here are some interesting possibilities.
- Tokyo-style pork buns by Nikuman-Ya
- Maui-wowie poke taco by Norigami
- BBQ pulled pork, St. Louis pork ribs, beef brisket and green chile cornbread by Evan’s Smokehouse
- Fans of former Gaja in Lomita will appreciate their Okonomiyaki (Japanese pancake)
Admission is only $5 at the door, cash only. Children 3 and under are free. Best of all, parking is free. Most vendors accept cash only and ATMs are available.
Pro Tips:
- Arrive early because this event is extremely popular.
- Take a travel size package of wet wipes. They will come in handy.
- If you take a lot of pics, consider taking a portable phone charger.
- Go with a group of least 3 people. This allows you to split up and minimize the wait times.
- If your eyes are bigger than your stomach, consider taking a backpack. Be sure to include plastic containers and Ziploc bags.
Friday, June 29 through Sunday, August 1
Hours Friday & Saturday, 4 p.m. – 1 a.m, Sunday 4 p.m. – 12 a.m.
626 Night Market
Santa Anita Park, 285 Huntington Drive, Arcadia, CA
https://www.626nightmarket.com/