Dig Into a Feast of Flavors at Local Night Markets This Summer

Sharon Stello
25 minutes ago
7 min read

Orange County features several foodie festivals with diverse dishes, entertainment and more through the coming months.

An aerial shot of the 626 Night Market at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa. Photo courtesy of FoodieLand LLC

Warm nights filled with the scent of grilled meat, fried food and sweets wafting on the breeze: Summer season is approaching, which means it’s time for local night markets to get under way.

These foodie festivals kick off with the 626 Night Market from May 29-31 at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, followed by smaller, monthly events presented by Weekend Night Market in Huntington Beach, Lake Forest and Mission Viejo.

Aside from an array of tantalizing treats, the air feels electric with music, people talking and playing games, the hum of food truck generators in the background – a general buzz of activity that makes these gatherings feel like the place to be.

“I think people love night markets because they feel like (it’s) an experience, not just something to do,” said Christy Pardini, owner and organizer of Weekend Night Markets. “It’s not just grab dinner and go, it’s walking around with friends, trying a few different foods, discovering new vendors, listening to music and … being part of a crowd that’s all there for the same reason.”

Matthew Tjokro, marketing manager for 626 Night Market, agreed that the lively atmosphere is inviting and memorable for families, friends and couples to gather together. However, the unique culinary options are the main attraction. “The diversity of food options is a big draw for people to night markets,” he said.

In past years, the 626 Night Market has presented popular items like deep-fried squid, rainbow-colored foods from street corn to grilled cheese sandwiches, stinky tofu, ube everything and drinks in oversized baby bottles and other fun containers with light-up, color-changing cubes. Tjokro emphasized that those mainstays aren’t going away any time soon.

“We’ll still have those as they are crowd favorites,” Tjokro said, adding that other trends will make an appearance this year. “We noticed matcha drinks and foods have been on the rise, along with Japanese fried sandwiches and coconut-based desserts.”

Unique foods and fun containers guarantee that your experience is not your typical fair food at the 626 Night Market. From left, top row: grilled oysters, fusion tacos, deep fried squid on a stick; bottom row: Asian inspired fruit desserts, a drink in an oversized baby bottle and a lumpia bucket. Photos courtesy of FoodieLand LLC

Asian Influence

The original owners of 626 Night Market introduced the experience in 2012 in Pasadena, “deeply inspired by the traditional night markets found in Asia,” Tjokro said. “They wanted to create that beloved experience for the AAPI – (Asian American and Pacific Islander) – audience in Southern California. The brand grew from there.”

The 626 Night Market later moved to Arcadia and expanded to Costa Mesa and the Bay Area. The first Costa Mesa event was held in 2014, then dubbed OC Night Market before changing its name around the time of the pandemic, organizers recalled.

“Our attendees associated our event with 626 Night Market, so it made sense to stick to our original brand,” Tjokro said.

In late 2025, the 626 Night Market was acquired by FoodieLand, one of the nation’s largest food festival producers, operating in more than 20 different markets as FoodieLand, 626 Night Market and Bite of Seattle. While the name and operator may have changed over the years, the mission has remained the same.

“Night markets have always been popular in Asia,” Tjokro said. “We’re inspired to bring that atmosphere here as a celebration for our communities …. On top of highlighting different varieties of Asian cuisine in the area, 626 Night Market in Costa Mesa also celebrates various AAPI cultures, artists and craft vendors at our event.”

Vendors sell artwork, patches, Funko Pop figurines and more. Attendees will also find carnival games and plenty of entertainment.

“We’ve been working to elevate our stage experience this year,” Tjokro said. “Expect an exciting lineup of cultural performances, live band sets from rising AAPI artists, energetic hip-hop dance showcases and hype DJ sets. On Saturday, there will be a special guest on stage – stay tuned.”

To start the 626 Night Market on Friday, May 29, a Cultural Performers’ Night will celebrate AAPI Month. “There will be five AAPI groups performing during the hourlong showcase,” Tjokro said. “We’re also welcoming House of Mahjong for an immersive mahjong experience on Sunday, May 31.”

The 626 Night Market runs from 3-11 p.m. each day; admission is $6 per person (only available online), plus $15 parking fee collected on-site. While the 626 Night Market usually offers a few different weekends in Costa Mesa from late spring through fall, only the one Orange County weekend is planned this year, in May, before heading to Arcadia in June and August, then the Bay Area’s Pleasanton in October.

Photo ops and entertainment are a part of the allure at the 626 Night Market. Photos courtesy of FoodieLand LLC

Foodie Fests

While the 626 Night Market moves further afield after May, local foodies need not fret. Another organizer, Weekend Night Market, will host free monthly events across O.C. with a smorgasbord of sweet and savory fare to satiate everyone’s taste buds. These family- and dog-friendly gatherings bring together food and fun.

Weekend Night Market started in Long Beach in August 2018, running until the pandemic hit in March 2020. Following a six-month closure, people started looking for outdoor activities, so Weekend Night Market reopened and expanded to Los Alamitos, Huntington Beach and Mission Viejo, with locations changing over the years. Pardini (who, notably, also serves as the graphic designer for the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach) said she loves bringing communities together and helping to support local businesses.

“Each location has its own personality, even though they’re all under the same umbrella,” Pardini said.

First up this summer is HB Foodie Fest, featuring 70-plus food vendors from 5-9 p.m. Friday, June 5 (and returning July 3 and Aug. 7), in the parking lot at Golden West College.

“Huntington Beach – HB Foodie Fest – leans the most into that big summer event energy,” Pardini said. “It’s very food-forward, high volume and designed to feel like a full night out. You’ll see more entertainment elements here, like DJs, games and activations, so it becomes more of a destination event.”

Expect to find a photo booth, face painter, henna artist and Surf City Game Truck, a mobile gaming experience filled with the latest video game consoles and multiplayer games. There will also be a display of drones racing through lit-up hoops throughout the evening. Tables with games like Jenga and Connect Four can also be found in addition to local vendors selling handmade, artisan items from jewelry to clothing, crystals, dog treats and skin care products.

Huntington Beach’s night market season got an early start May 1 with Sweet Street, focusing on desserts. Think rice pudding in flavors like cookies and cream, crepes and funnel cake with all manner of toppings, build-your-own cookie sundae, ube cheesecake creme brulee and more. Savory items were also in supply for those who wanted dinner before dessert. Many of the same food trucks and vendors will be back each month. From smash burgers to tamales, lumpia, dumplings, cheesesteak sandwiches and Belgian fries, there’s no shortage of variety.

At the Weekend Night Market's HB Foodie Fest. From left, top row: a unique dessert, DJ Julz, an aerial shot of the market; bottom row: line dancing is a featured activity, grilled items are among the options at the 70-plus food vendors, and there is plenty of space to sit and socialize while enjoying your dinner. Photos courtesy of Weekend Night Market

“We’re definitely seeing a big focus on visual, viral-style foods – things that photograph well and feel a little over-the-top in the best way,” Pardini said. “And we’re seeing more vendors lean into specialty drinks, mocktails, lemonades (and) unique flavor combos because those are easy add-ons and very shareable.”

Following Huntington Beach at the beginning of the month, the Weekend Night Market moves to Mission Viejo from 5-9 p.m. June 20 (and every third Saturday of the month, year-round) at outdoor event venue North Paseo.

“Mission Viejo tends to feel a little more community-driven,” Pardini said. “It’s very family-friendly, a bit more relaxed, and you see a strong mix of locals coming out regularly. It’s still packed with great food, but it has more of that neighborhood vibe where people come to hang out and spend time together. At this location, we theme the event … so each month feels like a unique experience.”

For example, May featured a fiesta theme while June will be luau inspired.

Like Huntington Beach, the Mission Viejo event features local vendors selling food and handmade, artisan items, as well as games to play, but it also boasts kids crafts, live music and a beer garden.

The month wraps up in Lake Forest from 5-9 p.m. Saturday, June 27 (and again July 25), in the parking lot of Onyx Golf, an indoor golf, cafe and lounge.

“Lake Forest Summer Series sits somewhere in between (the Huntington Beach and Mission Viejo events),” Pardini said. “It’s curated to feel elevated but still approachable. We’ve been leaning more into the foodie aspect there, so it’s very focused on quality vendors, variety and making it feel like a go-to summer series people can count on each month.”

In Lake Forest, look for food and artisan vendors, plus live music and a beer garden as well as a game and kids play area.

“One thing we really focus on is making sure each event feels intentional and not just like a collection of booths,” Pardini said. “From the vendor mix to the layout to the entertainment, everything is designed to create a certain energy. At the end of the day, we want people to leave feeling like they had a full experience, good food, good atmosphere and something they’d want to come back to again.”