626 Night Market facts for kids
Quick facts for kids 626 Night Market |
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| Location(s) | Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California; OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, California; Alameda County Fair in Pleasanton, California |
| Established | 2012 |
626 Night Market is a super popular event. It's like a giant outdoor party that happens at night! It takes place in the San Gabriel Valley near Los Angeles. This area is known as the "626" because of its phone area code. As of 2022, it's the biggest night market in the whole United States.
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What Happens at the Market?
The 626 Night Market happens several times a year. These events usually run from May through September. Each market lasts for three days.
Food, Fun, and More
Up to 100,000 people visit each market. There are over 250 different vendors. You can find amazing food, cool merchandise, and handmade crafts. There's also art to see and music to enjoy!
Delicious and Unique Foods
The market is famous for its wide variety of foods. Many dishes are perfect for sharing on Instagram. You can find traditional Asian snacks like stinky tofu. There are also meat skewers. Plus, you can try new "fusion" foods. These mix different cooking styles. Examples include pho tacos and ramen burgers.
Who Are the Vendors?
The vendors are often local artists and chefs. Some already own restaurants or food trucks. Others are trying out new products or ideas. It's a great place for new businesses to start!
How It Started
The idea for 626 Night Market came from Jonny C. Hwang. He was born in Taiwan and grew up in Southern California. He was inspired by the lively night markets in Asia. A famous one is the Shilin Night Market in Taipei.
The First Market
The very first market was held in 2012. So many people came that it caused traffic jams! This led to some complaints at first. Because of this, the market later moved to Santa Anita Park. This new location had more space for everyone.
Other 626 Night Market Locations
The 626 Night Market became so popular that it grew! They started new markets in other places.
Expanding Across California
First, they created OC Night Market. This was at the OC Fair in Costa Mesa. Then, DTLA Night Market happened for a short time. It was near the Crypto.com Arena in Downtown Los Angeles. In 2018, they launched NorCal Night Market. This was at the Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton.
New Names for Markets
By 2020, all these events got new names. They were all called 626 Night Market. For example, OC Night Market became 626 Night Market/OC. NorCal Night Market became 626 Night Market/Bay Area. In 2022, a new market opened in Santa Monica. The dates for these different locations do not happen at the same time.
Similar Fun Events
Since 626 Night Market started, other similar events have popped up. These are also in Los Angeles and Orange County. Some examples include the KTOWN Night Market. There's also the Little Saigon Night Market. And you can find the MPK Night Market too.
