Summer markets in Southeast celebrate Asian culture, food, and art

The sights, sounds, and scents of Asian street markets came to life this summer in Southeast Portland’s Foster-Powell neighborhood.

The White Lotus Foundation (WLF) hosted a series of summer markets, held each Saturday and Sunday, from July 13 through August 4. Free admission, and a wide variety of art, food, and entertainment, drew an estimated 12,000 attendees to the parking lot of Shun Fat Supermarket, at 5253 S.E. 82nd Avenue of Roses – a former Fred Meyer store – over the course of those four weekends.

Small business owners and entrepreneurs of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander descent were invited to participate as vendors. Some sold handmade art; others offered clothing, accessories, beauty products, pet supplies, or toys. Many of the booths were food-related, serving up popular cuisine from those cultures.

In the style of Asian night markets, this one welcomed visitors from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. DJs played upbeat music; and on the final weekend WLF’s own dance troupe performed a traditional Lion Dance which interacted with onlookers and captivated the crowd.

The event was designed for all ages. Parents pushed baby strollers, young couples walked by holding hands, and older adults tried to keep up with their grandchildren. Even leashed dogs were welcomed.

Nhan Danh is the founder of WLF, and organized this market as a way to showcase the richness and variety of Asian culture in Oregon. Danh commented there are certainly lots of other summer events around town, but “[Portland] was just missing something like this.”

Food booths drew lots of attention, and sometimes long lines. Danh said older adults could find their familiar favorites: “Hot chili pepper Asian squid, fermented fish, grilled chicken hearts, sugar cane juice – stuff that’s not offered normally at other events.” Younger palates flocked to sweets and bubble teas flavored with mango, yuzu, ube, and matcha. People of all ages ordered “rotato” potatoes cut into a swirl, stretched onto a long stick, fried, and coated in a variety of spices. Adult beverages were available, too, including a violet-hued lager made from purple rice.

Though it’s new, the market is already a huge success. “We have gotten amazing responses from the community, from vendors, from those who were there,” said Danh.

Part of what made this work, Danh explained, is WLF’s commitment to keeping costs in check. Because the supermarket offered use of its parking lot for free, vendor fees remained low. Thus small businesses and entrepreneurs could try selling their products there without much risk. “That’s what I’m very proud of, making it more accessible to everybody,” Danh said.

Tina Pham, who goes by the artist name Sabo, was doing brisk business at her booth selling stationery, stickers, key chains, and desk accessories adorned with cute animal designs that she creates. “This is my first White Lotus event and it’s excellent! The crowd has been really friendly. The food and the vibes just draw a lot of people in.”

Pham drove down from Seattle, because she knew she’d be connecting with customers in her target demographic. “We don’t actually have a weekly recurring night market like this one, and a lot of the art I do is drawn from my background growing up Asian-American. So, what is going to resonate with me is also going to resonate with customers here.”

Christine Cha is a local seamstress from the Hmong community. She named her business “3thereal” because of the three women in her immediate family. Her brightly colored vending space displayed hair scrunchies, headbands, dog collars, and other items she and her mother sewed by hand. At the front of the booth were tote bags featuring traditional Hmong symbols that tell stories about nature.

“I think it’s a wonderful opportunity, especially for a small business owner like me,” Cha said. “I get to meet other people, it’s really affordable, and I think it’s doing good for the Asian community.”

Next year the White Lotus Foundation hopes to extend its market season to include additional weekends, and may shift the hours later in the day, or extend them for a longer duration.

WLF is a Portland nonprofit organization that works to empower and uplift individuals within the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander community. The organization’s upcoming events can be found online – http://www.thewhitelotusfoundation.org – and on social media.