Orange County Asian Cultural Events 2026: Dates and Venues
Confirmed 2026 dates for Asian culture festivals, night markets, Obon, and K-pop events in Orange County, with official source links and Goldscene calendar entries.
Last updated:
Review cadence: Checked during festival season; less often off-season.
Orange County hosts some of Southern California's most accessible Asian cultural events: free night markets, temple Obon weekends, Japanese food festivals, and fan-run K-pop conventions. Most anchors sit within a 30-minute drive of one another, which makes it easy to stack a Westminster food night with an Anaheim Obon afternoon or an Irvine matsuri without treating the county like a day-trip destination.
Dates change when organizers update schedules. Use the Los Angeles metro calendar for the live list; this page focuses on Orange County-only anchors with practical planning notes drawn from organizer sites, local coverage, and community chatter on forums and event threads.
For LA County festivals (Lotus, Nisei Week, Sawtelle Obon), see the Los Angeles events guide.
At a glance
| Event | Dates | City | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Little Saigon Night Market | Fri–Sun through Aug 9, 2026 | Westminster | Night market |
| Taste of Japan | Jun 19–21, 2026 (ended) | Anaheim | Food festival |
| 626 Night Market OC | May 29–31, 2026 (ended) | Costa Mesa | Night market |
| OCBC Obon | Jul 18–19, 2026 | Anaheim | Temple festival |
| K-PLAY! FEST OC | Aug 22–23, 2026 | Anaheim | K-pop convention |
| OCO Natsu Matsuri | Aug 29, 2026 | Irvine | Japanese matsuri |
Dates follow Goldscene calendar entries and organizer announcements as of June 1, 2026. Confirm on official sites before travel.
Little Saigon Night Market (through Aug 9)
When: Friday–Sunday, 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., through August 9, 2026
Where: Asian Garden Mall, 9200 Bolsa Ave, Westminster
Cost: Free admission and free parking
The mall has hosted this outdoor market since 2011, closing the north lot and Bolsa Avenue entrance so vendors can set up in front of Phuoc Loc Tho. Expect Vietnamese street food (bánh mì, grilled skewers, pandan desserts), bubble tea, clothing stalls, and live music under the mall's outdoor screen. The vendor mix rotates week to week, so repeat visits often surface new stalls rather than the same static lineup.
Parking and arrival: The official night market page directs drivers to Moran Street or Bishop Street because the Bolsa entrance closes during market hours. The mall's visitor information also lists a southeast lot reachable from Moran. Local guides and longtime visitors consistently report the rear and south lots filling by the 7:00 p.m. opening; some food vendors start serving around 6:30 p.m. if you want a head start. Voice of OC notes the market often hits peak energy after sunset, with some vendors packing up before the official 11:00 p.m. close.
What to know on the ground: This is the rare SoCal night market with no ticket gate and no parking fee, unlike 626 Night Market, which charges admission plus fairground parking when it comes to OC. Bring cash for smoother vendor transactions even when card readers are available. Budget roughly $10–$12 per plate for mains, per local write-ups tracking recent price shifts. Friday nights run busiest; Sunday tends to be the lighter crowd if you want room to browse.
Pair it with: Bolsa Avenue's sit-down pho and bakery runs before the market opens, or stack a July weekend with OCBC Obon in Anaheim.
Full details: culture calendar entry.
OCBC Obon (Jul 18–19)
When: Saturday 2:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Sunday 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Where: Western High School, 501 S Western Ave, Anaheim (enter parking lot from Orange Ave.)
Cost: Free admission; free parking with shuttle, 1:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Orange County Buddhist Church's Obon is the county's largest temple-style summer festival: taiko at 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m., bon odori dancing at 6:30 p.m. both days, plus food booths, games, a boutique, and raffle tables. The 2026 edition moves to Western High School rather than the church campus; confirm the official Obon page before you navigate to last year's shuttle lot.
First-timer tips: Newcomers can join bon odori practice in the Dale Parking Lot at 7:00 p.m. on June 29, July 1, 6, 8, 13, and 15. You do not need prior dance experience; the circle is built for families, kids, and curious visitors. Food runs the full Japanese-festival spectrum: teriyaki, spam musubi, imagawayaki, shaved ice, chirashi, and corn on the cob. Many booths now take cards as well as cash, and takeout is typically available if you want to eat off-site.
Planning note: Arrive before 6:30 p.m. if you want food without the bon odori rush, or lean into the dance hour and eat afterward. The festival is genuinely multigenerational: grandparents, teens, and toddlers share the same food lines, which makes it a strong anchor if you are visiting OC with family and want something calmer than a ticketed convention hall.
Pair it with: The Lotus Festival in Echo Park the prior weekend, or a Friday Little Saigon Night Market run if you are stacking Vietnamese and Japanese programming in one trip.
Full details: calendar entry.
K-PLAY! FEST OC (Aug 22–23)
When: 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. both days
Where: Anaheim Convention Center, 800 W Katella Ave, Anaheim
Cost: Ticketed; day passes publish on kplayfest.com/orange-county
K-PLAY! FEST is a fan-hosted K-pop convention, not an arena tour stop. Programming centers on random play dance, photocard trading and decorating, artist alley, karaoke, vendor booths, and community meet-ups rather than a single headliner bill. That distinction matters if you are comparing it to Goldenvoice festivals or stadium concerts elsewhere on the calendar.
Ticket and venue tips: A K-PLAY! ticket also grants access to ANIME Impulse and Collectors Expo running concurrently, so one admission covers three events, per the organizer FAQ. The convention center is cashless, but individual vendors may still accept cash, so bring both. Wristband re-entry is available if you leave for lunch and return. The organizer recommends printing tickets for faster entry, though phone scans work.
Out-of-town planning: The Hilton Anaheim room block runs $199/night (before taxes) with a July 30, 2026 cut-off, one minute from the convention center. Random play dance runs both days on the main stage; photocard traders tend to cluster early before popular booths sell out.
Etiquette: Ask permission before photographing other attendees or vendor displays; the FAQ explicitly encourages consent-first photos. Hydration and breaks matter in August heat if you are in full cosplay.
Pair it with: Nisei Week (Aug 15–23) the week before, then OCO Natsu Matsuri the following Saturday for a full August culture run.
Full details: calendar entry.
OCO Natsu Matsuri (Aug 29)
When: 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Where: Tanaka Farms, 5380 3/4 University Dr, Irvine
Cost: Free admission with a purchased package; pre-purchased parking required
OCO Natsu Matsuri closes Orange County's summer calendar with a farm-field matsuri: taiko, ondo dancing, a float parade, games, craft vendors, karaoke (Japanese songs only), Tanaka Farms food, a beer garden, and sake tasting. Matsuri attire is encouraged, and the organizer invites anyone to enter the float parade for free (mikoshi details).
Critical logistics: This is the most rule-heavy event on the list. oconatsumatsuri.org is explicit: no walk-ins (attempted walk-ins are charged $10 per person), no pets, and no parking in nearby neighborhoods or shopping centers; cars may be towed. On-site parking is limited; buy your parking pass online before you drive. Admission itself is free once you hold a package, but treat parking as a required reservation, not an optional add-on.
On-the-ground read: The single-evening format (4:00–9:00 p.m.) makes this a sunset-to-night event rather than an all-day fair. Taiko and the float parade are the headline programming; the beer garden and sake tasting skew adult, while games and food keep it family-friendly. If you attended OCBC Obon earlier in July, expect a looser, outdoor-farm vibe compared to the temple grounds.
Full details: calendar entry.
Recently ended (still useful for 2027 planning)
Taste of Japan (Jun 19–21)
Taste of Japan is Orange County's Japan-specific food weekend: 100-plus Southern California Japanese vendors, a main stage with taiko and J-pop programming, and the Oishii Yokocho street-food alley spread across Anaheim GardenWalk levels. General admission is free; the Kanpai Yokocho 21+ sake and beer garden is a paid add-on. The event is dog-friendly, which matters if you are Disney-adjacent with a pet in tow.
2027 planning notes: GardenWalk garage parking runs $4/hour after the first free hour, $30 daily max, per stcgardenwalkparking.com. Participating venues sometimes offer $20 all-day validations after purchase. Organizers encourage ride share for sake-garden guests. Taste of Japan typically lands late June; bookmark tasteofjpn.com for next year's dates.
Full details: calendar entry.
626 Night Market Costa Mesa (May 29–31)
626's Costa Mesa weekend at OC Fair & Event Center is complete for 2026; the Costa Mesa page notes a 2027 return. When 626 is in OC, expect 200+ vendors, $6 general admission, $15 parking, and cash-first food lines, a different scale and price point from free Little Saigon.
The organizer's next SoCal stop is August 14–16 at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, per the OC listing and 626 season overview. Arrive early if you want shorter lines at the most photographed stalls; comfortable shoes are non-negotiable on the fairgrounds pavement.
Sample weekend stacks
| If you want… | Stack this way |
|---|---|
| Free Vietnamese food night | Friday Little Saigon Night Market |
| Family temple festival | Saturday OCBC Obon afternoon, night market after if energy holds |
| Full August run | Nisei Week → K-PLAY! FEST → OCO Natsu Matsuri |
| LA + OC in one trip | Lotus Festival + Obon, or 626 Arcadia + K-PLAY |
How to use this page
- Open the Los Angeles metro calendar for the current upcoming and recently ended list.
- Pair OC weekends with LA County events on the Los Angeles guide if you are planning a full SoCal stack.
- Confirm dates, parking rules, and hours on each event's official site before travel, especially Obon venue changes and Natsu Matsuri parking passes.
Related calendars
Frequently asked questions
- What Asian festivals are in Orange County in 2026?
- Confirmed anchors include Little Saigon Night Market in Westminster (through Aug 9), OCBC Obon in Anaheim (Jul 18–19), K-PLAY! FEST OC (Aug 22–23), and OCO Natsu Matsuri in Irvine (Aug 29).
- Is there a night market in Little Saigon?
- Yes. Little Saigon Night Market runs Friday through Sunday evenings, 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., at Asian Garden Mall in Westminster through August 9, 2026. Admission and parking are free.
- When is Obon in Anaheim?
- Orange County Buddhist Church Obon is July 18–19, 2026 at Western High School in Anaheim. See the culture calendar entry.
- Where is the K-pop convention in Orange County?
- K-PLAY! FEST Orange County runs August 22–23, 2026 at Anaheim Convention Center. Details on the culture calendar listing.
- How do I find LA County events outside Orange County?
- Use the Los Angeles Asian culture events guide for Lotus Festival, Nisei Week, Gardena Obon, and other LA County anchors.
- Where is the live upcoming list?
- The Los Angeles metro calendar includes Orange County and Greater LA entries as dates move between upcoming and recently ended.
