Night Market at the Capitol Mall; Sold Out Event

The sold out Night Market, hosted by the Sacramento Asian Pacific Chamber of Commerce (SacAsian) in celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, reached capacity at over 2,500+ attendees on Friday, May 13 at the Capitol Mall.

The sights, sounds, and smells of the bustling Night Market set the tone for the evening with its 30+ local AAPI-owned food and retail vendors lining the strip.

VIP Experience

In attendance were some of the region’s most prominent leaders such as: Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg; Congressman Ami Bera; Assemblymember Kevin McCarty; Elk Grove City Council member Stephanie Nguyen and Vice Mayor Darren Suen to name a few.

Instead of their annual gala, SacAsian hosted a “VIP Experience” one hour before officially opening the Night Market gates. Thus, the pre-event celebration was meant to provide a space to house their usual gala festivities in an effort to honor distinguished figures within the community for their achievements. To that end, the VIP Experience functioned like a smaller event within the Night Market.

The VIP Experience featured wine and appetizers provided by KRU Contemporary Japanese Cuisine; North American Food Distributing Company; Empress Wines and Felicita Wine Company.

During the ceremony, Congressman Ami Bera took the podium and talked about the rich diversity of the Sacramento region.

“20+ years ago TIME Magazine said that, ‘Sacramento was the most diverse community in the country’ – Well we still are, and that’s our strength. The different traditions, ethnicities – all of that coming together. The religions; the cultures – that is what makes the Sacramento region such a great place and why the future is so bright for us.”

-Congressman Ami Bera

Among the awardees was CEO and General Manager of SMUD, Paul Lau, who received the SACC “Honoree of the Year” award, and was also given a Certificate of Recognition by the California State Legislature.

Important to note, the following organizations were also awarded in four additional categories:

• Fat Family Legacy Award – Binchoyaki Izakaya Dining
• Corporate Steward of the Year – Wells Fargo
• Community Impact Award – Highlands Community Charter and Technical Schools
• Emerging Leader of the Year – Sonya Harris, Senior Advisor, COVID-19 Vaccine Taskforce – California Department of Public Health

Entertainment & Vendors

Before sunset, guests were treated to a diverse mashup of live performances by the East Wind Band; VFW Chung Mei Post 8358 Lion Dance Troupe; Koyasan Taiko Group, and Makamae Melia ‘O Polynesia.

By Dusk, vocalists Basi Vibe; Kiyomi, and headliner, P-Lo took the stage closing the evening with an electric finishing performance.

The emcee and DJ for the evening was Soosh!

“It was an incredible experience getting to see Capitol Mall filled in support of the AAPI community, and the Tower Bridge as the backdrop is just unmatched. I’m looking forward to seeing this happen annually and expanding. I mean, we sold it out this year. We have no choice but to make it even bigger next year, right?

-Soosh!

Final Thoughts

Indeed, SacAsian covered the whole gamut by featuring a variety of entertainment and vendors. Thus, attendees from near and far responded positively to the chamber’s first run. To that end, it was a memorable experience for many who hope to see the Night Market become an annual event.

“The night market did a good job of bringing people from all different backgrounds to a safe environment to enjoy good food! We also really enjoyed the Taiko group perform!“

-Ryan Nakano, Rocklin resident

“The food lines were long but worth it cuz the Kabobs were fire,” Natomas resident, Mike Aure said.

“My family really enjoyed the performances and all the talent showcased at the AAPI Night Market. I hope to see this event grow bigger and continue on over the years to come. Would love to make this a tradition!

-Mike Aure, Natomas resident

To learn more about the Sacramento Asian Pacific Chamber of Commerce, and their upcoming events visit them online at: https://www.sacasiancc.org/