626 Night Market

Last updated
626 Night Market
626 Night Market logo.png
Location(s) Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California; OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, California; Alameda County Fair in Pleasanton, California
Established2012
Website 626nightmarket.com

626 Night Market is a regular night market located in the 626 area code region of San Gabriel Valley, northeast of Los Angeles. As of 2022 it is the largest night market in the United States.

Contents

Format

The event is held multiple times a year from May through September. Each 3-day night market event draws up to 100,000 attendees [1] with more than 250 participating food, merchandise, and craft vendors, as well as art and music. [2] [3] The market is held at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia. [4] It is the largest night market in the United States. [1] [5]

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. [6] [7] Vendors are local artisans and aspiring chefs plus entrepreneurs who already own a restaurant, retail store or food truck, or those who are launching a new product or brand or test-marketing a new concept. [1] [8]

History

Conceived by Jonny C. Hwang, a businessman born in Taiwan and raised in southern California, [9] [10] the market was inspired by the night markets of Asia, especially the Shilin Night Market in Taipei. [11] 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. [12] [13] The market subsequently relocated to Santa Anita Park. [14]

626 Night Market established OC Night Market at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa. [4] DTLA Night Market was held for a limited run next to Staples Center in Downtown Los Angeles in the same year. [15] In 2018, 626 launched NorCal Night Market at the Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton. [4] [16] [17] As of 2020, all events were renamed to 626 Night Market, with OC Night Market rebranded as 626 Night Market/OC and NorCal Night Market as 626 Night Market/Bay Area. [18] In 2022 626 launched in Santa Monica. [19] The various locations do not overlap dates. [20]

Similar events

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. [21]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Los Angeles County, California</span> Most populous county in the US and California

Los Angeles County, officially the County of Los Angeles, and sometimes abbreviated as L.A. County, is the most populous county in the United States, with 9,861,224 residents estimated in 2022. Its population is greater than that of 40 individual U.S. states. Comprising 88 incorporated cities and many unincorporated areas within a total area of 4,083 square miles (10,570 km2), it is home to more than a quarter of Californians and is one of the most ethnically diverse U.S. counties. The county's seat, Los Angeles, is the second most populous city in the United States, with 3,822,238 residents estimated in 2022. The county has been world-renowned as the domicile of the U.S. motion-picture industry since the latter's inception in the early 20th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greater Los Angeles</span> Metropolitan area in California, US

Greater Los Angeles is the most populous metropolitan area in the U.S. state of California, encompassing five counties in Southern California extending from Ventura County in the west to San Bernardino County and Riverside County in the east, with Los Angeles County in the center, and Orange County to the southeast. The Los Angeles–Anaheim–Riverside combined statistical area (CSA) covers 33,954 square miles (87,940 km2), making it the largest metropolitan region in the United States by land area. The contiguous urban area is 2,281 square miles (5,910 km2), whereas the remainder mostly consists of mountain and desert areas. With a population of 18.4 million in 2024, it is the second-largest metropolitan area in the country, behind New York, as well as one of the largest megacities in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">San Gabriel Valley</span> Populated valley in Southern California, United States

The San Gabriel Valley, often referred to by its initials as SGV, is one of the principal valleys of Southern California, with the city of Los Angeles directly bordering it to the west, and occupying the vast majority of the southeastern part of Los Angeles County. Surrounding landforms and other features include the following:

The culture of Los Angeles is rich with arts and ethnically diverse. The greater Los Angeles metro area has several notable art museums including the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), the J. Paul Getty Museum on the Santa Monica Mountains overlooking the Pacific, the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), and the Hammer Museum. In the 1920s and 1930s Will Durant and Ariel Durant, Arnold Schoenberg and other intellectuals were the representatives of culture, in addition to the movie writers and directors. As the city flourished financially in the middle of the 20th century, culture followed. Boosters such as Dorothy Buffum Chandler and other philanthropists raised funds for the establishment of art museums, music centers and theaters. Today, the Southland cultural scene is as complex, sophisticated and varied as any in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stinky tofu</span> Chinese fermented tofu with a strong odor

Stinky tofu is a Chinese form of fermented tofu that has a strong odor. It is usually sold at night markets or roadside stands as a snack, or in lunch bars as a side dish, rather than in restaurants. Traditionally the dish is fermented in a brine with vegetables and meat, sometimes for months. Modern factory-produced stinky tofu is marinated in brine for one or two days to add odor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chinese American enclaves in the San Gabriel Valley</span> Chinese ethnic communities in Los Angeles County, California, US

The Asian American influx into the southwestern portion of the San Gabriel Valley region of Los Angeles County, California, grew rapidly when Chinese immigrants began settling in Monterey Park in the 1970s. Just east of the city of Los Angeles, the region has achieved international prominence as a hub of overseas Chinese, or hua qiao. Although Chinese immigrants were a noteworthy presence in the establishment of Southern California from the 19th century, significant Chinese migration to suburban San Gabriel Valley coincided with a trend of white out-migration from the 1970s onward. This opened an opportunity for middle-class Asian Americans to begin settling in the San Gabriel Valley.

California's State Assembly districts are numbered 1st through 80th, generally in north-to-south order.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Media in Los Angeles</span>

The media of Los Angeles are influential and include some of the most important production facilities in the world. As part of the "Creative Capital of the World", it is a major global center for media and entertainment. In addition to being the home of Hollywood, the center of the American motion picture industry, the Los Angeles area is the second largest media market in North America. Many of the nation's media conglomerates either have their primary headquarters or their West Coast operations based in the region. Universal Music Group, one of the "Big Four" record labels, is also based in the Los Angeles area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Duarte/City of Hope station</span> Los Angeles Metro Rail station

Duarte/City of Hope station is an at-grade light rail station on the A Line of the Los Angeles Metro Rail system. It is located at the intersection of Duarte Road and Highland Avenue in Duarte, California, after which the station is named, along with the City of Hope National Medical Center located across the street from the station.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Irwindale station</span> Los Angeles Metro Rail station

Irwindale station is an at-grade light rail station on the A Line of the Los Angeles Metro Rail system. It is located at the intersection of Irwindale Avenue and Avenida Padilla in Irwindale, California, after which the station is named. This station opened on March 5, 2016, as part of Phase 2A of the Gold Line Foothill Extension Project.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Azusa Downtown station</span> Los Angeles Metro Rail station

Azusa Downtown station is an at-grade light rail station on the A Line of the Los Angeles Metro Rail system. It is located on Alameda Avenue, a block north of Foothill Boulevard, in Downtown Azusa, after which the station is named.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Don Chow Tacos</span> Chinese-Mexican fusion food truck based in Los Angeles

Don Chow Tacos was a Chinese-Mexican fusion food truck based in Los Angeles, California. It was founded on April 22, 2009, by Dominic Lau and Lawrence Lie with the motto, "Where Chino meets Latino", representing their Chinese heritage and Hispanic influences. Don Chow Tacos ceased operations on February 16, 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joseph Vincent</span> American singer-songwriter

Joseph Vincent Encarnacion, better known as Joseph Vincent, is a Filipino-American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. Joseph has been twice featured on NBC’s The Ellen DeGeneres Show and has performed at well-known Los Angeles venues, such as The House of Blues, The Knitting Factory, Roxy Theatre, El Rey Theatre, The Troubadour, among international venues in Australia, Singapore, and Canada.

Asian Californians are residents of the state of California who are of Asian ancestry. California has the largest Asian American population in the U.S., and second highest proportion of Asian American residents, after Hawaii. As of the 2020 U.S. Census, there were over 6 million Asian-Americans in California; 15.5% of the state's population. If including those with partial Asian ancestry, this figure is around 17%. This is a jump from 13.8% recorded in 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Los Angeles and San Gabriel Valley Railroad</span> Early railroad from Pasadena to downtown Los Angeles

The Los Angeles and San Gabriel Valley Railroad was a railroad founded on September 5, 1883, by James F. Crank with the goal of bringing a rail line to Pasadena, California from downtown Los Angeles, the line opened in 1886. Los Angeles and San Gabriel Valley Railroad was sold and consolidated on May 20, 1887 into the California Central Railway. In 1889 this was consolidated into Southern California Railway Company. On Jan. 17, 1906 Southern California Railway was sold to the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway and called the Pasadena Subdivision. The main line closed in 1994. The railroad later reopened as the MTA Gold Line Light Rail service in July 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">California Central Railway</span> American railroad system (1887–1889)

The California Central Railway was incorporated on April 23, 1887, with headquarters in San Bernardino, California. George O. Manchester was the President of the corporation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Santa Ana Stadium</span> Stadium in California

Santa Ana Stadium, also known as Eddie West Field or the Santa Ana Bowl, is a city-owned and operated 9,000-capacity American football and soccer stadium located in downtown Santa Ana. The field was named after Eddie West, a writer for the Orange County Register and tireless supporter of the Santa Ana College Dons and all Orange County sports.

The defunct Boy Scout councils are those which have been closed and merged with other councils.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Take a stroll through the biggest night market in the United States". TODAY.com. 15 September 2022. Retrieved 2023-01-23.
  2. "On the 626 Night Market: An Interview with Founder Johnny Hwang". Public Diplomacy Magazine. 3 February 2014. Archived from the original on 12 May 2014. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
  3. Paredes, Lisa (2019-07-09). "Get Out Of Town!: 626 Night Market". myBurbank.com. Retrieved 2021-04-01.
  4. 1 2 3 Huang, Josie (2 May 2014). "The 626 Night Market branches out beyond the San Gabriel Valley". 89.3 KPCC Southern California Public Radio. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
  5. Richard Chang, "Area night markets at head of new trend", Orange County Register , June 24, 2013.
  6. Hang, Kristie (2015-09-03). "Here's What to Eat at the Last 626 Night Market of the Year". LA Weekly. Retrieved 2020-01-31.
  7. Hang, Kristie. "Get Pho Tacos And Burritos At This New Asian-Latin Fusion Joint". LAist. Archived from the original on 2020-01-31. Retrieved 2020-01-31.
  8. "San Gabriel Valley's 626 Night Market returns this weekend". Los Angeles Times. 2013-06-07. Retrieved 2020-01-31.
  9. Clarissa Wei, "626 Night Market Founder On Next Steps and Chinese Restaurants", KCET, May 2, 2013.
  10. Liana Aghajanian, "Jonny Hwang: The Man Who Invented 626 Night Market", LA Weekly, May 15, 2013.
  11. Zen Vuong, "626 Night Market and its Taiwan predecessor", Pasadena Star News , November 2, 2013.
  12. Xia, Rosanna (June 7, 2013). "San Gabriel Valley's 626 Night Market returns this weekend". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved August 30, 2018.
  13. Jennifer Medina, "New Suburban Dream Born of Asia and Southern California", The New York Times , April 29, 2013.
  14. Clarissa Wei, "626 Night Market is back: Grilled skewers, spiraling potatoes and dragon whiskers", Los Angeles Times , June 10, 2013.
  15. Odell, Kat (2014-02-05). "626 Night Market Grows to Downtown LA, OC in 2014". Eater LA. Retrieved 2020-01-26.
  16. Schena, Susan C. (Jul 26, 2018). "'NorCal Night Market' To Debut At Alameda Co. Fairgrounds". Patch Media. Retrieved July 27, 2018.
  17. "NorCal Night Market To Debut This Summer At Alameda County Fairgrounds". Alt 105.3 . July 19, 2018. Retrieved July 27, 2018.
  18. "626 Night Markets 'come home' after pandemic". Pasadena Weekly. Retrieved 2023-01-23.
  19. "The 626 Night Market Comes to Santa Monica, Featuring Kim Chi, Bomb Squid, Stinky Tofu and other Asian Fusion Cuisine". Santa Monica Observer. 26 August 2022. Retrieved 2023-01-23.
  20. "Everything You Need to Know About the 626 Night Market". Thrillist. Retrieved 2023-01-23.
  21. Chang, Richard (4 May 2014). "Food-filled night markets are crossing into the mainstream and headed our way". OC Weekly. Retrieved 10 May 2014.