Huge Mississauga festival taking over more cities as other festivals shrink or disappear

Although the pandemic and its life-altering restrictions ended years ago, the foodservice industry–particularly food festivals and restaurants–has struggled to regain its footing in an era marked by runaway inflation and economic instability.

But despite some big festivals taking a lengthy hiatus before securing generous government funding, calling everything off at the 11th hour due to permitting struggles, taking a break due to challenges in finding a suitable location or tapping out due to economic struggles, one relatively new festival that got its start in Mississauga is not only returning to the city year-after-year, it’s steadily branching out and hitting more cities not just in the GTA, but throughout southern Ontario. 

“This year, we have 14 events total in about 11 cities. Last year, we went to Niagara Falls and Windsor; this year, we tried to reach out to more communities,” Ruifeng (Ricky) Zhen, the organizer of the Ontario Asian Night Market Series, tells INsauga.com. 

The Mississauga Asian Night Market, a three-day celebration of food and culture, first took over Square One’s P6 parking lot in July 2024 and offered locals and visitors alike the opportunity to enjoy, among other things, exciting and inventive foods–some of which were made exclusively for the event.

In 2025, Zhen brought the event to two more Ontario cities and this year, the event has drawn crowds in Toronto, Newmarket, London, Vaughan and Oakville. It will continue its run throughout the summer, setting up shop in the Square One parking lot from Friday, July 17, to Sunday, July 19, before moving on to Niagara Falls, Scarborough, Barrie, Windsor and Burlington. 

The series, Zhen says, is now the largest Asian cultural celebration of its kind in Ontario. 

In Mississauga, the annual event will bring together food vendors, cultural performers, artisans and thousands of visitors for what Zhen says will be a celebration of Asian cuisine, traditions and community.

As for what’s fuelling this rapid-fire growth, Zhen says he and his team started searching for other desirable venues after wrapping up 2025’s event season. While he has had to move quickly, he says the numbers show the festival works because it resonates with people across the province. 

“We started last year after the festival season ended in October and we did some research on how to choose venues and municipalities,” he says, adding that it took some time to research the different permitting and safety requirements across various towns and cities. 

“It took a while to get it prepared, but so far, the outcome is very good. The one in London at T&T  Supermarket was a four-day event and it ran from Thursday to Sunday and it was packed, even on Thursday. It was on a weekday, people were working, but it was a surprise to us; this kind of event is really attractive to the locals.”

Zhen also took on Canada’s biggest city for the first time, hosting the EastBloom Tea and Gourmet Festival at Sankofa Square (formerly Yonge and Dundas Square) in Toronto’s downtown core. 

“Our festivals are happening in Toronto for the first time, with our first at Sankofa Square over the Victoria Day long weekend. It was very busy because it’s right near the Eaton Centre, and it’s the busiest intersection in Canada,” he says. 

“It was challenging but the Sankofa Square team is very professional; they helped a lot.”  

Zhen is candid that, with rising costs, running a festival is challenging but worth it to share Asian culture with residents across the province and elevate local businesses. 

“The experience is hard because of rising costs and there’s a huge responsibility with a public event. We have to be careful on all the details–security, fire, traffic and food safety. There are so many details to consider, so we invest a lot in the festivals to make them fun and safe,” he says.

“Hosting the events in this economy is challenging because we noticed people are spending less than before, even less than right after COVID when they spent more because they were stuck at home for so long. We’re paying more than before, and it’s challenging but we still try to promote our culture and heritage.” 

The festival is organized with the support of the Horizon Legacy Foundation, a community-focused organization that promotes cultural preservation, community development and programs that connect different generations.

For the upcoming Mississauga event, Zhen says more than 30,000 people are expected to attend over the course of the weekend and that those guests–who can enter for free–can expect food from over 50 vendors serving Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Filipino and other cuisines. He also says the event will feature over 20 merchandise and artisan product vendors, new midway games, bouncy castles and more. 

As for food, attendees can expect to find popular Asian street food favourites, including dumplings, ramen, bubble tea, takoyaki, Korean fried chicken and a variety of grilled dishes. Vendors will also showcase modern fusion creations that blend traditional flavours with new culinary ideas.

As far as entertainment goes, there will be a lion dance performance at the opening ceremony on Friday, as well as a kung-fu demonstration, DJs and live bands throughout the event. For the first time, the Mississauga festival will also include an open-mic karaoke session. 

“We did this in London and it was very popular. Everyone looks like a star on the stage,” Zhen says.  

“Everyone has a talent. We want to bring this to Mississauga, so we’re hoping to see more people line up to showcase their talents,” he says. 

Zhen says one key component of the festival’s success is its uniqueness. 

“Most say they love the food experience. It’s very unique and you cannot order [some of the dishes] at a restaurant. People also love the open mic karaoke.”

As for what’s next, Zhen says his team has been approached by various organizations and could bring the festival to more municipalities, including those that are further north. Zhen says the series has continued to gain momentum online and off, with more people following the events on social media and showing up in person. 

“For a tour-style event, we are probably the biggest one right now. Normally, there are other smaller events that take place once a year, but we want to promote Asian culture and heritage in more communities,” he says.  

“Other than food, we have entertainment and we help the local communities and small businesses, so it was pretty welcoming in the new areas we touched this year. It’s challenging, but we want to bring the fun and bring the culture all over Ontario,” he says. 

The market runs:

Friday, July 17
5 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Saturday, July 18
Noon to 11 p.m.

Sunday, July 19
Noon to 10 p.m.

 – With files from Steve Pecar