NYC’s largest Chinese food festival is happening this summer

New Yorkers love Chinese food—some of our best neighborhoods are powered by the stuff—and this summer, the city is getting its largest outdoor celebration of Chinese food and culture yet. Meet: Dragon Fest. 

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Kicking off on Saturday, June 24, at Washington Square North (between Fifth Avenue and University Place), the alfresco fest will feature cultural activities and market fairs spotlighting local vendors and artists (such as Han-style clothing and Miao jewelry), and, duh, tastings to showcase the flavors and traditions of China.

Attendees can expect more than 100 plates on offer, such as soup dumplings, dan dan noodles, candied hawthorn sticks, stinky tofu, and bowl pudding cake from participating restaurants, including the likes of hot-pot spot MáLà Project, Malaysian café Kopitiam, fried chicken purveyor Pecking House, Southeast Asian dessert parlor Lady Wong.

General admission is free, but you can reserve your spot on Eventbrite. 

The whole shebang is sponsored by brands including Fly by Jing, MìLà, HungryPanda, FOTILE, Nan Xiang and Auden Education. The festival, which is the brainchild of The Egg House founder Biubiu Xu, has plans to pop up in other cities outside of NYC, but first, it will make a few more stops in the Big Apple.

Here’s the full summertime Dragon Fest schedule: 

• June 24, 10am-6pm: Washington Square North (between Fifth Avenue and University Place)
• August 26, 10am-6pm: Broadway (between 12th and 13th Sts)
• August 27, 10am-6pm: Fourth Ave (between 12th and 13th Sts)
• September 19, 10am-6pm, Sixth Ave (between 29th and 30th Sts)

"There is a surge in the interest and love for Chinese food and culture, and we noticed that it’s hard to find a dedicated platform in New York City to celebrate this. That's why Dragon Fest was created. It's intended to be an experiential festival, where people can taste authentic Chinese cuisine and immerse themselves in the rich culture and traditions," says Biubiu Xu. "I'm thrilled to invite everyone to what will be the largest celebration of Chinese food and culture in NYC."