NYC-Based Panda Fest is Coming to Dilworth Park For a Two Day Festival Featuring 35+ Asian Food Vendors & Entertainment - Wooder Ice
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NYC-Based Panda Fest is Coming to Dilworth Park For a Two Day Festival Featuring 35+ Asian Food Vendors & Entertainment

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NYC-Based Panda Fest is Coming to Dilworth Park For a Two Day Festival Featuring 35+ Asian Food Vendors & Entertainment

NYC-Based Panda Fest is Coming to Dilworth Park For a Two Day Festival Featuring 35+ Asian Food Vendors & Entertainment

You may have seen it hit your timeline and the word is officially out. The New York City-based Asian food and culture festival, Panda Fest is coming to Philly for the first time. Known for its vibrant and culturally enriching family-friendly fun, Panda Fest will be held Saturday and Sunday, April 26-27 at Dilworth Park, located at 1 South 15th Street at Philadelphia’s City Hall.

The special event, founded by Xuan (BiuBiu) Xu, invites guests of all ages to celebrate Asian food, art, and culture, as well as the beloved panda and the rich heritage that the beloved mammal represents. A giant 15-foot inflatable panda will greet guests upon entry, and of the festival’s food will feature vendors representing cuisines from throughout Asia, including China, Japan, Thailand, Korea, Vietnam, the Philippines and more. There will be Asian cultural performances, fun-for-the-family activities, games, raffles, merchandise, and more.

Panda Fest is an offshoot of Dragon Fest, an annual outdoor Chinese food & culture festival and platform that connects people of New York to Chinese restaurants, vendors, artists, and local communities. Since launching in 2023, Dragon Fest has organized a total of 21 events that have attracted more than 500,000 attendees. In July of 2024, the Dragon Fest team launched Panda Fest, which is now one of the biggest outdoor Asian food festivals in the United States, featuring experiential activities, tastings, and market fairs that showcase the vibrant culinary, art, and cultural traditions from Asia. The organizers hope to make this a bi-annual event in Philadelphia.

Philadelphia’s inaugural Panda Fest will feature more than 80 different types of Asian street food, with approximately 35 vendors spread throughout Dilworth Park. While many vendors will be from NYC, the event aims to be inclusive, and Philadelphia restaurants are encouraged to apply to be vendors as well for the two-day affair. Access to Panda Fest is $12 per person for early entry (first 800 tickets sold), and $15 for general admission. Children four and under do not need a ticket. In addition to access to food, fun, and games, tickets include three free gifts: a customized Panda pin with a Philly design feature, an inflatable headband, and a customize panda bag (worth $26). Tickets, which go on sale Monday, February 3rd at 10 a.m., can be purchased online. Tickets will not be available at the door, and must be purchased in advance.

“We are beyond excited to expand our festival to Philadelphia, which is such an incredible city full of rich culture and food, especially within the Asian communities,” said Xu. “It’s difficult to discuss the biggest and best Asian food cultures in America without talking about Philadelphia, and the fact that we’re just a short train ride away in New York City made Philadelphia an obvious choice for our expansion. If this first event goes well, we plan to return to Philadelphia in the fall and make this a bi-annual event, so we’re very optimistic and hopeful for a successful debut, especially since we planned this to be held the weekend before AAPI Month, which is an important time for all Asian cultures in America.”

The festival will be adorned with panda decorations, and there will be a number of panda-themed foods as well. Pets are permitted, but must be kept on a leash.

 

 

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