2026 Asian Culture Festival Calendar (US and Canada)
Night markets, food festivals, dragon boat races, and community culture events across the United States and Canada in 2026.
Last updated:
Review cadence: Biweekly June through September; monthly off-season.
At a glance
| Event | Location | Dates (2026) | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 626 Night Market | California (multiple) | Summer through Oct 31 | Night market |
| Boston Asian Food Festival | Boston, MA | Jun 20–21 | Food festival |
| SF Dragon Boat Festival | San Francisco, CA | Jun 20–21 | Culture / sport |
| Taste of Japan | Anaheim, CA | Jun 19–21 | Food festival |
| Lotus Festival | Los Angeles, CA | Jul 11–12 | Culture festival |
| Head in the Clouds (88rising) | Pasadena, CA | Aug 8 | Music festival |
| Nisei Week | Los Angeles, CA | Aug 15–23 | Culture festival |
| 626 Night Market (Arcadia) | Arcadia, CA | Aug 14–16 | Night market |
| K-PLAY! FEST OC | Anaheim, CA | Aug 22–23 | K-pop convention |
| OCO Natsu Matsuri | Irvine, CA | Aug 29 | Japanese matsuri |
| Sacramento AAPI Night Market | Sacramento, CA | Annual (May/June window) | Night market |
| FACT Annual Gala | Markham, ON | Jun 20 | Community gala |
Confirm times on official sites. Goldscene Culture Calendar adds new events as we verify them.
Summer anchors
626 Night Market returns across California with a season running through October 31, 2026, per Goldscene's 626 calendar listing. It is the largest recurring night market reference point for SoCal planners.
Boston's Asian Food Festival on the Rose Kennedy Greenway ran June 20–21, 2026, listed on our culture calendar.
San Francisco Dragon Boat Festival friendship races at Lake Merced ran June 20–21, 2026, per Goldscene's event page.
July culture weekends
45th Los Angeles Lotus Festival at Echo Park Lake is scheduled July 11–12, 2026, per culture calendar. Pair it with Obon weekends in Anaheim and Sawtelle listed on the Los Angeles events guide.
Little Saigon Night Market runs Friday through Sunday evenings through August 9, 2026, at Asian Garden Mall in Westminster, per culture calendar. See the Orange County events guide for OC-only anchors.
August culture weekends
Head in the Clouds Los Angeles, the 88rising festival, is August 8, 2026 at Brookside at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, per culture calendar.
626 Night Market returns to Santa Anita Park August 14–16, 2026, per Arcadia listing.
Nisei Week runs August 15–23, 2026 in Little Tokyo, per culture calendar.
K-PLAY! FEST Orange County is August 22–23, 2026 at Anaheim Convention Center, per culture calendar.
OCO Natsu Matsuri closes the month August 29, 2026 at Tanaka Farms in Irvine, per culture calendar.
For the full Southern California stack, see the Los Angeles Asian culture events guide.
Community and night markets
Sacramento's AAPI Night Market returned for its fifth year on Capitol Mall, covered by CBS Sacramento and Goldscene's night market radar.
FACT Annual Gala in Markham, Ontario ran June 20, 2026 on our calendar for Greater Toronto community programming.
How to use this calendar
Pick one anchor event per month instead of chasing every post. Bring cash backups, sunscreen, and hydration for outdoor markets.
For ranked food picks, read our summer food festivals list. For film travel, switch to the 2026 Asian film festival calendar.
Refresh cadence
Goldscene updates rows when organizers publish 2026 dates. Submit tips through our contact page if we miss a verified community festival.
Frequently asked questions
- Is this the same as the film festival calendar?
- No. This page lists culture and food festivals. Film fests live in our separate North America film festival calendar.
- Do night markets run all summer?
- 626 Night Market runs multiple California weekends through October 2026. Check official dates before driving.
- Where is the food festival list?
- Our ranked summer food fest list goes deeper on ten bookmark-worthy events.
