Night markets originated in China over 1,000 years ago, but they’re far from ancient history. The open-air evening bazaars have been cropping up across the U.S. for more than a decade, and in the last year have officially been woven into the zeitgeist—and the experiential marketing industry.
From partnering with major properties like 626 Night Market in Arcadia, CA, to hosting their own events, the most successful brands are crafting experiences that both pay homage to Asian culture, and support the community-building tenet that night markets were founded on. Here’s a look at the hot property in action.
MAMA
MAMA’s Night Market is an event platform aimed at preserving immigrant culture through food, while supporting local businesses. The large-scale events, which typically take place from 6 p.m. to anywhere between midnight and 2 a.m., are designed to “connect different communities together,” and by default, tend to attract a diverse attendee base. And every touchpoint is developed through a restaurant-first lens.
“We’ve really challenged what the model looks like for a food festival, where most are leaning heavily on the vendors to ‘pay to play.’ And it creates a little bit of a friction for a lot of the smaller or mom-and-pop restaurants, and those are the ones that we really want to come out,” says Jared Jue, founder at MAMA. “We’re leading with the restaurants and the dishes that represent the communities. And we always knew that we would have to lower the barrier to entry for them, so we fought the model, and the way that we lift the production across everything is in partnership and tickets.”
Over the last two years, MAMA’s Night Markets have seen significant growth, and over the spring, reached new heights, when the organization inked a deal with Honda. On March 9, the automaker served as presenting sponsor of the “MAMA’s Night Market: Year of the Dragon” Lunar New Year celebration at Los Angeles’ Central Plaza in Chinatown.
In partnership with more than 20 diverse, and predominantly underrepresented, restaurants from the SoCal area, MAMA’s served up conventional and modern Lunar New Year-inspired dishes to a sold-out crowd of over 2,000 attendees, including some notable celebs and influencers. The event also featured entertainment from 75 performers, spanning djs, musicians, martial arts experts and traditional dance performances.
Sponsorship-wise, attendees could grab the mic in karaoke sessions sponsored by Minus 196 and try their hand at Mahjong with influencer group Mahjong Mistress, sponsored by Suntory.
And as presenting sponsor, Honda played a big experiential role with its DreamLab activation. The experience included live cooking demos with influencer Rie McClenny, and a curated selection of vendors offering experimental “Honda-inspired” dishes. The brand also brought its new model, the Honda Prologue, to life with a projection-mapping show. Plus, prizes were up for grabs at the “Lucky Truck.” (Agency: Mirrored Media)
Pro Tip: Incorporate Community Giveback
A core aspect of the Year of the Dragon event (and all of MAMA’s Night Market experiences) was a focus on philanthropy. Proceeds from the market supported the Bruce Lee Foundation’s programs, including Camp Bruce Lee for kids, educational initiatives and partnerships with artists and athletes. Respect Your Elders, a nonprofit focused on feeding seniors in minority communities and supporting local restaurants, was part also part of the fundraising efforts.
“We very much are mission-driven,” says Jue. “And we knew it was a big year with Year of the Dragon, so we ended up getting linked with the Bruce Lee Foundation and family. That became a big reason for us to do something [in Chinatown], let alone the network of restaurants that we’ve been able to pull together each time we do this… It really teed up an annual event for us for years to come that’s going to take place in not only Chinatown, but in in other markets, hopefully, in the future.”
MAX
Ahead of the premiere of the HBO original series “The Sympathizer,” which takes place during the Vietnam War, Max teamed up with 626 Night Market Mini to bring the show to life in Santa Monica, CA, with an activation inspired both by the show and traditional Asian night markets.
Part cultural experience, part community-building opportunity and part storytelling event, the free night market, hosted April 13-14, dropped attendees straight into the world of Vietnamese cuisine, art and entertainment. They could get their fill through Vietnamese food vendors such as All Dat Dumpling and The Ugly Bao, grab merch from vendors like Steve Minty, participate in series-themed photo moments and enjoy live performances.
Pro Tip: Enlist Authentic Talent
Entertainment is essential to night markets, as is enlisting talent that speaks to the multicultural aspect of the events.
At Max’s night market, there were performances by Vietnamese-American djs Demonslayer and Annalog, as well as a special performance by Vietnamese-American artist Dolly Ave on April 13.
Photo: Courtesy of 626 Night Market
INTEL X NRG
Earlier this month, Intel and esports company NRG marked the launch of a new collaboration aimed at “pushing the boundaries of gaming” and showcasing new Intel Core Ultra desktop processor technology with the Intel x NRG Night Market. On Oct. 11, the brands transformed L.A.’s NRG Spectrum Castle into an 18,000-square-foot “Fantasy Factory” built for gamers and entertainment fans.
Attendees on-site could peruse local vendors, enjoy food and themed drinks, explore a local artist alley, and meet and compete with some of the biggest names in the VALORANT gaming community, including pro players and influencers. The experience additionally featured a special edition of the “Intel Live!” community show, bringing the program’s tech commentary to the gaming community IRL.
The highlight, however, was the VALORANT Clout Clash competition, where two of the game’s “legends,” s0m and FNS, led hand-selected teams of esports pros and influencers in a faceoff that fans could watch in person and online.
Intel’s tech was also on display across a range of activations within the Night Market. At the Intel Laptop Lounge, gamers tested their skills with gaming on the go, while the Streamer Zone demonstrated how the new desktop processors enable gaming, streaming and creating.
There was also an iBUYPOWER one-on-one competition between fans and NRG VALORANT pros, an MSI showcase where attendees could see the latest PC hardware while testing their precision in a competitive Aimlabs course, and a speed-build competition for PC DIY enthusiasts at the Newegg showcase.
Plus, to give the launch some extra legs, NRG’s social gaming brand, Full Squad Gaming, produced a series of viral street stunts and challenges, leveraging its massive reach, which includes more than 1 billion views in 2024 alone.
All told, the event garnered 71 million owned impressions, while the livestreamed competition had a combined peak viewership of 40,000. Game over.
Photo credit: Robert Paul
SOUTH BEACH WINE & FOOD FESTIVAL
Celebrity chefs Aarti Sequeira and Jet Tila took the reins of an Asian Night Market hosted on Feb. 23 that kicked off the 2024 South Beach Wine & Food Festival (SOBEWFF). Together, the pair transformed the festival’s beach environment into a classic open-air night market that celebrated Asian cuisine and served up dishes including sushi and pad Thai, and featured live music performances. Supporting the effort were brand partners like Suntory, which set up a House of Suntory “business front” installation and whipped up craft cocktails.
There was also a philanthropic aspect to the night market, which benefited the Chaplin School of Hospitality and Tourism Management at Florida International University. To boot, more than 1,500 FIU student volunteers showed up to lend a hand at the event.
Pro Tip: Tap into Tentpole Food Festivals
Attaching a night market experience to a tentpole food festival like SOBEWFF means tapping into a captive, culinary-loving audience that typically has an interest in international flavors and enjoys trying new cuisines.
Photo: Courtesy of SOBEWFF
GLOW RECIPE
Skincare brand Glow Recipe marked its 10th anniversary with a Night Market pop-up hosted in L.A.’s Melrose Avenue shopping and dining district from Oct. 18-20. Taking cues from Seoul’s vibrant night markets, the brand went all in on neon, including an illuminated Night Market entry arch and glowing sky lantern installations.
Among touchpoints, attendees could check out exclusive merch, get sneak peeks at unreleased products, access discontinued products, receive expert skincare consultations and curate their own makeup kits with Glow Recipe products.
Fans additionally had the option to interact with vending machines filled with Glow Recipe products, snap photos in a themed booth, purchase items from an exclusive Glow Recipe Night Market merchandise shop and stop by snack bars supplied with Korean treats.
And within the brand’s interactive timeline booth, which detailed its 10-year history, attendees encountered touchpoints like a 2019 vignette that invited them to ring a bell to receive a spritz of Watermelon Glow Ultra-Fine Mist from a mysterious gloved hand. (Agency: MKG)
Pro Tip: Preserve the Night Market Format
Even if you’re hosting a one-off night market experience that doesn’t include external partners, maintaining authenticity requires preserving the basic event format, including offering “vendor” booths.
The Glow Recipe Night Market featured a range of meticulously curated kiosks that were set up to look like vendor booths and were filled with surprise-and-delight moments designed to educate attendees on the brand’s skincare products, and inspire content capture.
Photo credit: BFA
SKYFLAKES
Cracker brand SkyFlakes activated a booth experience from Aug. 23-25 at 626 Night Market, where it had the chance interact with thousands of consumers. The centerpiece of the activation was an opportunity for attendees to craft their own “flavor masterpiece” at a mix-and-match snack creation station featuring familiar SkyFlakes flavors, along with lesser-known options designed to surprise and delight.
There was additionally a chance to strike a pose at a branded photo booth and share the content for a chance to win an iPad; a “picture perfect topping” challenge; a roulette game that presented an opportunity to win free SkyFlakes samples and merch; event-exclusive coupons dished out; and a series of interviews with consumers who shared their feedback on the experience and the products.
Photos: Courtesy of Monde Nissin
JOHNNIE WALKER X NETFLIX
As part of a robust global partnership surrounding the return of Netflix’s “Squid Game” on Dec. 26, which included a large-scale Times Square activation, Johnnie Walker has signed on as the official spirits partner of the ticketed Squid Game: The Experience at Manhattan Mall, a yearlong endeavor.
After participants try their hand at the games, they’re invited to unwind at the Johnnie Walker Black Label bar within the property’s Korean-inspired Night Market, where they can sample soju-infused, “Squid Game”-inspired cocktails, view a limited-edition “Squid Game” bottle, snag exclusive merch, enjoy Korean food and snap photos at various booths. And it’s one more authentic touchpoint to add to the partnership.
“It’s a great kind of next step in this partnership,” says Josh Dean, vp-Johnnie Walker at Diageo North America. “It’s a new on-premise opportunity for us. But it’s also a testament to how we’ve thought through this with Netflix, and we’re excited for the next three months. The show goes live on Dec. 26, but everyone is extremely excited about what’s happening between now and December—big months for the brand to continue to maximize all the things that are going to happen.”
DORITOS
Through its partnership with L.A.’s Crypto.com Arena, Doritos launched its first-ever eatery, Doritos After Dark, open exclusively to ticketholders. The culinary experience aims to offer a “bold twist” on late-night dining and spirits options.
While the restaurant is only available to ticketholders, Doritos After Dark will step out of the arena and into a Doritos Night Market pop-up next month. The experience will take place ahead of Sabrina Carpenter’s performance at the Crypto.com Arena on Nov. 15, allowing the general public to sample bites from the Doritos After Dark menu in a neon-drenched environment.
