Skip to content
Link copied to clipboard
Link copied to clipboard

Panda Fest, an Asian street festival from NYC, is coming to Philadelphia

About 35 vendors selling all kinds of Asian food will be set up outside City Hall on April 26 and 27.

The organizers of the Dragon Fest street festival in New York City will set up Panda Fest in Philadelphia.
The organizers of the Dragon Fest street festival in New York City will set up Panda Fest in Philadelphia.Read moreCourtesy of Panda Fest

The team behind Dragon Fest, a New York City-based Chinese food and culture festival, are planning to travel the United States with a new weekend festival called Panda Fest.

The Philadelphia stop will be Dilworth Park, outside Philadelphia City Hall, and the dates are April 26 and 27, said organizer Xuan (BiuBiu) Xu.

Xu said you won’t be able to miss it: A 15-foot inflatable panda will greet guests upon entry on the 15th Street apron of City Hall. About 35 vendors will represent cuisines from such countries as China, Japan, Thailand, Korea, Vietnam, and the Philippines, and some 80 dishes are expected to be for sale. There will also be cultural performances, family activities, games, and merchandise.

Since launching in 2023, Xu and Dragon Fest have organized 21 events that have drawn more than 500,000 attendees.

Panda Fest will start in Atlanta from April 4 to April 6. After the Philadelphia stop, it is due in Boston May 2 to May 4. Xu hopes to bring this to Philadelphia every two years.

While many vendors will be from New York, restaurants from Philadelphia have been encouraged to apply to be vendors.

Access will be $12 per person for early entry (first 800 tickets sold), and $15 for general admission. It’s free for ages 4 and under. Tickets, on sale at 10 a.m. Feb. 3, can be purchased online. They include a customized Panda pin with a Philly design feature, an inflatable headband, and a customized panda bag.

Tickets will not be available at the door, and must be purchased in advance.