INCLUDES HIGHLIGHTS VIDEO | Find out why vendors and families keep coming back to this nighttime marketplace, now to be found behind Fubonn Shopping Center, on now through Sunday evening …
As the sun sets, this event turns into a night market, drawing families and friends to wander the aisles between sizzling food stalls and artisan booths.
Story and photos by David F. Ashton
Although the 2026 White Lotus Summer Market opened on a rainy, stormy Saturday – June 6 – the weather shifted by the very next evening. Skies cleared on Sunday, June 7, as the market came to life at its new home, tucked behind Fubonn Shopping Center, at 2850 SE 82nd Avenue in the Jade District.
By the time we visited it that Sunday, the aisles were busy, grills were smoking, and lines stretched from stalls preparing food on the spot – which clearly was the main draw for many visitors.
Food is the main attraction at the White Lotus Summer Market, with visitors following aromas through rows of food stalls and artisan booths.
Third year, bigger footprint
What started in 2024 as a modest effort to create space for businesses owned by Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders has grown into a multi-week summer fixture.
“We’re now in our third season, and it’s turned into a recurring summer gathering where families, shoppers, and small businesses come together,” reflected White Lotus Foundation president Nhan Dhan. “Each year we’ve seen more vendors, and more impact for the community.”
Dhan credited vendors, volunteers, partners, and returning attendees for turning the market into a tradition that many now pencil into their summer calendar.
Want a feel for the sights and sounds? Watch our video for a look at the 2026 White Lotus Summer Market in full swing:
Moving north on SE 82nd Avenue of Roses
This year, the organizers shifted the Summer Market about a mile and a half north up SE 82nd Avenue, relocating from Emmert Cali Saigon Mall to the back parking lot of Fubonn Shopping Center – where it became part of Fubonn’s 20th Anniversary celebration.
“We wanted a space where the Summer Market could keep growing, and Fubonn also offered a chance to give this event its own identity,” Dhan explained. “Our Mid-Autumn Festival at Shun Fat Supermarket (at Cali Saigon Mall, near SE Foster Road) is our flagship festival, with big stages and performances.”
Michael Thilavanh, and Conecepts Creamery founder Julie Ammalathithada, together scoop up Asian-inspired flavors of ice cream, brought in from their Fairview shop.
So, unlike the Mid-Autumn Festival’s stage-driven program, the Summer Market runs without a formal show schedule – just background music, and time to wander from booth to booth. “The Summer Market is more relaxed – more of a night market and community gathering,” Dhan observed.
And, keeping the Summer Market at Fubonn and the Mid-Autumn Festival at Shun Fat, Dhan told East Portland News, helps avoid confusion among vendors and sponsors, while allowing each event to develop its own special atmosphere.
Working over an open flame, this chef fills the night market with the scent of freshly grilled AANHPI street food.
Returning to Jade District roots
For Dhan, hosting the Summer Market in the Jade District carries both cultural and historical weight.
“Fubonn is right in the middle of one of the most recognizable cultural and commercial centers for the AANHPI community in Oregon,” Dhan pointed out. “We’ve wanted to partner with Fubonn for years, so this collaboration feels like a natural fit.”
The lot behind Fubonn also has history! Nearly a decade ago, one of the first Jade Night Markets activated the same site. [CLICK HERE to read our coverage of that significant event.)
“This space already proved it can bring vendors, performers, and community members together,” Dhan remarked. “Now we’re able to build on that legacy, and create new ways for small businesses, artists, and organizations to connect with the public.”
In this aerial view, merchants are selling unique treats and artisan products that turn this Jade District lot into a bustling night market.
Rotating vendors keep weekends fresh
Roughly 40 vendors set up each weekend, many of them rotating in and out over the four-week run. “Across the whole series we’re welcoming more than a hundred different small businesses, food vendors, artists, and community organizations,” Dhan reported. “That way visitors discover something new every weekend, and more entrepreneurs have the chance to participate.”
The mix leans heavily toward food – from grilled skewers, barbecued meats, roasted veggies and bubbling hotpots to icy drinks and baked desserts – but non-food vendors still do claim a strong presence.
“Food definitely brings people in, and we work hard to feature a wide range of cuisines and specialty treats,” Dhan observed. “At the same time, a lot of visitors are here for the artists, makers, and small retailers. They’re looking for unique products and cultural items they won’t find in ‘big-box’ stores.”
Showing one of his works, here’s artist Shawn Dinh Stephens of Chroma.Koi .
Handmade jewelry, artwork, clothing, crafts, and cultural goods fill out the aisles between the dining lines – a mix that organizers consider central to the market’s mission. “The combination of food and creative entrepreneurship really captures the spirit of the market,” Dhan said.
Building a rare AANHPI-focused summer series
Over three summers, the White Lotus Foundation has turned the Summer Market into more than a one-off festival.
“Most cultural events happen over a day or a weekend,” Dhan remarked. “Here, we’re spanning four consecutive weekends, which gives families multiple chances to visit and vendors more time to grow their customer base.”
His merchandise is food: Anton Pham of Kukki PDX serves up his signature bites at the White Lotus Summer Market.
“To our knowledge, no other organization in the Pacific Northwest is hosting an Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander–focused market series on this scale and of this length every year,” Dhan emphasized. “It’s become a memorable fixture for the AANHPI community, and for the broader Portland metro area.”
Family and friends enjoy the market’s mix of food, culture, and small businesses, as the evening winds down.
Dhan also credited support from Prosper Portland’s Scale-Up Grant and Toyota Portland for helping the event continue in its third year.
“We’re proud that the Summer Market has become a cornerstone of the summer and a testament to the strength, diversity, and resilience of our community,” Dhan concluded.
If you go:
Event: White Lotus Summer Market
What: Outdoor market featuring Asian American and Pacific Islander–owned food
and merchandise vendors
When: Saturdays and Sundays in June, through June 28, 2:00–10:00 p.m.
Where: Behind Fubonn Shopping Center, 2850 SE 82nd Avenue, Portland 97266
Cost: Free entry
More information: CLICK HERE.
© 2026 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News™
