September 30, 2026
Thom Carroll/For PhillyVoice
Crowds will fill Philadelphia’s Chinatown during a previous YèShì Night Market. The event returns Oct. 8 with food, live performances, crafts and shopping along 10th and Race streets.
For one night this October, the heart of Chinatown will spill into the street.
YèShì Chinatown Night Market returns Thursday, Oct. 8, from 6 to 10 p.m., taking over 10th Street between Arch and Winter streets and Race Street between Ninth and 11th streets with food vendors, live performances, arts and crafts and shopping.
The Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation started YèShì in 2011 to bring people into Chinatown and support neighborhood businesses. The event has drawn more than 20,000 people in previous years. This year’s market is expected to feature more than 90 vendors, including Chinatown restaurants, food trucks, artists, crafters and local organizations.
This year’s lineup includes a mix of Chinatown restaurants and vendors from across the region. Sang Kee Peking Duck House, Matcha Maiko, OneZo Bubble Tea, Mango Mango, Yakitori Boy, Tea Do and Bonchon are among the neighborhood businesses taking part. Food trucks and outside vendors include Korea Taqueria, Cousins Maine Lobster, Bacon on a Stick, Kanto Filipino BBQ, Deke’s BBQ, Dump N Roll and The Pasta Truck.
The mix stretches well beyond one cuisine. Visitors can find Vietnamese food from Drip Vietnamese Cafe, Filipino barbecue, Korean-Mexican dishes, lobster rolls, sushi and ramen, pizza cones, soul food, desserts, smoothies and bubble tea alongside arts, crafts and other marketplace vendors.
YèShì has also picked up national recognition. The event was ranked No. 5 in USA Today’s 2024 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards for Best Cultural Festival.
For a few hours, the streets around 10th and Race turn into part food festival, part block party and part open-air market.
Food is a big part of the night, but YèShì is also meant to showcase Chinatown itself, including the neighborhood’s restaurants and businesses.
YèShì means “night market,” a nod to the outdoor evening markets found across many parts of Asia. Philadelphia’s version has been held in Chinatown since 2011.
The event will take place rain or shine. Entrances will be available at Arch and 10th streets, Winter and 10th streets, Race and Ninth streets, and Race and 11th streets.
Organizers recommend walking, biking or taking public transit. The nearby 11th Street Market-Frankford Line station is closed for construction, so riders should use 8th-Market or 13th Street instead. Chinatown Station on the Broad Street Line is also nearby.
Date: Thursday, Oct. 8
Time: 6-10 p.m.
Location: 10th Street between Arch and Winter streets and Race Street between Ninth and 11th streets
Admission: Free
What to expect: More than 90 vendors, food, live performances, arts and crafts, shopping and community activities
Entrances: Arch and 10th; Winter and 10th; Race and Ninth; Race and 11th
Getting there: Walking, biking and public transit are recommended
Weather: Rain or shine
Have an event coming up? Let the PhillyVoice Events team know about it by emailing events@phillyvoice.com.
