Asia Society Texas' 12th Annual Night Market Festival Celebrates Houston's AAPI Communities Through Live Music and Dance, Exhibitions, Shopping
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HOUSTON, November 6, 2024 — Asia Society Texas (AST) welcomed approximately 5,500 guests to enjoy food, shopping, live music and dance performances, and all-ages activities at its 12th annual Night Market festival presented by American First National Bank.
Building upon the record-breaking success of last year's festival, AST transformed its parking lot, lawn, and Southmore Boulevard into a bustling outdoor market of more than 70 vendors, artisans, and partners. New this year, a market stage showcased live music by local artists Valen the Valentine, Gator Groove, and Sho Nuff and K-pop dances by Royal Aces. On the lawn, guests enjoyed a series of family-friendly screenings by Netflix while Houston Botanic Garden returned with a stunning preview of its upcoming Radiant Nature Chinese lantern installation, NASA/Johnson Space Center presented all-ages activities and information related to the Artemis program, and educator Jayati Sengupta guided visitors through Diwali arts and crafts.
Inside AST's Center, guests enjoyed free after-hours admission to the Space City: Art in the Age of Artemis exhibition; a manga cafe by Houston Public Library; all-ages carnival games and crafts with Consulate General of Japan in Houston, Houston Kendama Dojo, and Taiguruma Revival Project; mahjong games; and additional retail vendors in both the Grand Hall and an Otaku Alley celebrating Japanese pop culture. In the theater, local groups The Rhythmic Rani, Wonderbox, and UH Modern presented three showtimes of energetic Bollywood, K-pop, and hip-hop dance, followed by exclusive preview screenings of Netflix's Jentry Chau vs. The Underworld.
Help Us Build a More Inclusive World
American First National Bank has been a longtime presenting sponsor of Night Market and other arts and culture programs at AST. The outdoor market was sponsored by Wells Fargo. Reliant provided support for the market stage, while festival lawn activities were presented in partnership with Netflix. Night Market sponsors also include Texas Commission on the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, Mitsubishi Corporation (Americas), Coam Beverage Inc., Orion, Divya and Chris Brown, Teri and Jeff Lee, Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Houston, Traveler's Table and Traveler's Cart, and Stevie Vu and Chow Down in Chinatown. Alto was the festival's rideshare partner.
Drawing inspiration from street markets in East and Southeast Asia, AST's annual Night Market celebrates Houston's Asian and Asian American communities while also engaging visitors through thought-provoking exhibitions and all-ages activities. The next Night Market is expected to take place in fall 2025.
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Previous Night Market Events
2023: Highlights | Details
2022: Highlights | Details
2021: Highlights | Details | Spotlight Asiatown
2020: Virtual Night Market
2019: Highlights | Details
2018: Highlights | Details
2017: Highlights | Details
2016: Highlights | Details
2015: Highlights | Details
2014: Details
2013: Highlights | Details
About Asia Society Texas
Asia Society Texas believes in the strength and beauty of diverse perspectives and people. As an educational institution, we advance cultural exchange by celebrating the vibrant diversity of Asia, inspiring empathy, and fostering a better understanding of our interconnected world. Spanning the fields of arts, business, culture, education, and policy, our programming is rooted in the educational and cultural development of our community — trusting in the power of art, dialogue, and ideas to combat bias and build a more inclusive society.
