Two weekends remain for 626 Night Market at Santa Anita Park. It wraps up its ninth season on September 3-5. The 626 Night Market is an evening festival of food and merchandise vendors, games and entertainment. Founded in Pasadena in 2012 by entrepreneur Jonny Hwang. After taking up residence at Santa Anita Park, it expanded to OC Fair in Costa Mesa and Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton. Festival did not take place in 2020 due to Coronavirus pandemic.
Asian night markets share a common language: food. Evening events draw thousands to LA, Orange, and San Diego counties. In 2012, the first 626 Night Market took place at Old Town Pasadena. Then the event moved to Santa Anita Park in Arcadia and it has become a signature event, becoming kind of synonymous with Arcadia, says Jason Kruckeberg, assistant City Manager, and Development Services Director.
Food a big draw at 626 Night Market, the Asian-inspired festival at Santa Anita Park. It is in its fourth season of food, entertainment, art and shopping.
Organizers of the 626 Night Market at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, estimate as many as 50,000 people attended the recent 3 night run of the event. The event featured Asian street food booths and other vendors and entertainment.
The 626 Night Market is the brainchild of 3 Taiwanese-Americans who were heavily inspired by their experiences at night markets in Taiwan. The 626 Night Market will continue at Santa Anita Park next summer.
626 Night Market spawns copycats. The concept of a Taiwanese style foodie bazaar that has been held at Santa Anita Park, has spread to Orange County, Koreatown in Los Angeles, Monterey Park, and Studio City.
626 Night Market, an Asia-inspired market event returns for its ninth season at Santa Anita Park Friday through Sunday, with a phased reopening and reduced capacity. Admission is $5 plus fees.
Organizers of the 626 Night Market, held at Santa Anita Park, hope that a 6-foot-tall plexi glass cup of boba milk tea, holding about 125 4-inch tapioca balls, immersed in some 320 gallons of black tea and milk, will earn them a spot in the Guinness World Records.
Santa Anita Park's new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mark Verge, 44, a horse owner and entrepreneur, has big plans for the race track. He wants to expand its fan base, partly by reaching out to the local Asian community and to locals who grew up attending the track during the sport's heyday. While Santa Anita Park President George Haines is still running day-to-day operations, Verge will focus on bringing in more people, including celebrities, like actor Vince Vaughn.
Santa Anita Park CEO, Mark Verge, resigns, after some criticism from California Horse Racing Board and a verbal altercation with trainer Bob Baffert's wife. George Haines, General Manager, is expected to run Santa Anita Park.
Santa Anita Park on Verge of new era. New Santa Anita Park Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mark Verge will re-institute its "Free Fridays" promotion. Starting this Friday and every Friday for the rest of the meet, all fans will be given free grandstand admission and the price for hot dogs, sodas and beer will be cut to $2. Previous CEO Greg Avioli resigned earlier this month.
Review by Merrill Shindler - Asian market is authentic. 99 Ranch Market chain has hundreds of good things at its multiple San Gabriel locations, including one in Arcadia. Its mission is to offer authentic Chinese ingredients to underserved Chinese-American communities across America.
Arcadia Downtown Street Market now on Saturdays, 5-9 PM. It is run by Green Leaf Events on First Avenue between Santa Clara Street and Huntington Drive.
Breeders' Cup: racing's elite at the annual world championships this weekend at Santa Anita Park. See also commentary by Mark Whicker, p. B1, B7 and other Breeders' Cup coverage on p. B6.