Every summer, typically on a hot weekend in August, thousands of people flock to the corner off 82nd and Division for one reason: the Jade International Night Market. The smell of grilled squid blankets the air, and music and laughter are heard throughout the parking lot of PCC SE, where we've hosted the market every year since we first outgrew the space in the Fubonn parking lot. This year, we were proud to welcome over 25,000 guests to celebrate our milestone 10th anniversary. Looking back on these 10 markets we've hosted, we are proud of the community we have built - what began as a dream and idea spoken by our Jade District neighbors has grown into a well loved SE Portland tradition, bringing together people from all over to celebrate the beauty of our neighborhood. The Jade International Night Market was the first of its kind when we launched it in 2014. Our goal was to put the 82nd Avenue community front and center, bringing together one of the largest groups of artists, performers, and vendors that largely identify as immigrants and refugees for an experience that represents the best of the Jade District.

One of the hallmarks of our Night Market is our artist and vendor booths - this year, over 120 vendors joined us, selling everything from zines, jewelry, skincare, and ceramics, to indie designer fashion, and more. You can get lost amongst rows upon rows of trinkets and colorful handicrafts and many of the artists are happy to chat and connect with market-goers. We interviewed one vendor who paid particular attention to creating a warm, witchy atmosphere for their night market stall, dotting the table with candles and lights.

Meena, who owns Emerald Lotus Resin, is a vendor who creates hand-crafted resin art, and has been with the market for three years. Learning the craft completely through trial and error, Emerald Lotus’s designs are inspired by nature and the beautiful local flowers of the Pacific Northwest. Each sun catcher, jewelry piece, or hair accessory includes hand-pressed flowers, and Meena is motivated by the many community members that support their work. They say, “Seeing the joy on someone’s face when they find a piece that speaks to them that is made by my own two hands is everything!” Like many others, this night market is one of their favorites to vend at. Meena said, “We look forward to this event each year! From the organizers, food, performers, vendors and customers, we are truly grateful to be a part of such a wonderful community.”

A large portion of the Jade International Night Market boutique vendors have also been a part of the event since the very beginning, meaning they have been a part of the Night Market community for 14 years (the market took a brief hiatus during the beginning of the pandemic), and they keep coming back. Lucy, one of the night market’s inaugural vendors who owned a toy shop has been with the market since its inception, with 2026 marking the first time she hasn’t vended as she transitioned to a different field. Instead, she enjoyed the market as an attendee this year, joking with a friend that it was her first time getting to take it all in and just enjoy with a front row seat at the performance stage.

The market also reflects the identity of the Jade District, our neighborhood is home to families that speak over 140 languages, and also 25% of Portland’s Asian population, and over half of our neighbors in the Jade are BIPOC. For a little history on the Jade International Night Market’s origins - the event was actually born out of a community vision imagined by the very neighbors that live here. Senator Khanh Pham, our former APANO policy director and longtime East Portland resident, recounts on social media how the idea came about. “I remember when this idea of a night market to bring communities from around the world together to celebrate the diversity of our communities along 82nd Ave was just a dream spoken at community listening sessions, and to see it today - along with a safer 82nd Ave and several new affordable housing buildings like Legin Commons, Orchards of 82nd Ave, and the new Jade Apartments - is a testament to the power of community visioning, and steadfast organizing.” 

Since that listening session, the Jade International Night Market has truly grown into a placekeeping space that holds memory and cultural belonging for all generations. So many youth have made the Jade International Night Market a tradition whether with family or their friend groups because the market is a special place to create memories rooted in shared culture, and where they can see themselves reflected in East Portland spaces. The performers, food vendors, and crafters span the spectrum of Asian and BIPOC identity, and for many, the market offers an opportunity to connect and strengthen their cultural bonds. This is connected to APANO’s work in Community Development; one of our main areas of advocacy involving developing stronger communities in Oregon, and for us that includes nurturing spaces for joy and celebration. Lavender, a Portland youth who has participated in APANO’s different programs has attended 4 Jade Night Markets and notes it as a place she can connect with friends and build those memories. “The [Jade International] Night Market is my favorite event! I like everything about it!  This year I invited my friends and we had fun. We looked at booths and painted pots and planted [with Portland Nursery]. I have four plants from [past] Night Markets.” 

Another Portland youth, Vera, age 9, also added about the Jade Night Market, “The acts, food, and retail were absolutely marvelous. As soon as I arrived… I was engulfed in beautiful sights, smells, and sounds.” We also pride ourselves on the fact that the Jade Night Market is a space where all generations of community members can commune. Children of all ages run throughout the grassy campus of PCC SE while enjoying family friendly activities like arts and crafts, a scavenger hunt with prizes donated from vendors, taking on the challenge of a competitive game of chess, and picking out free pots and plants from community partner, Portland Nursery. The Night Market also brings in many intergenerational families and long-time volunteers. One of our volunteers, Nancy, is 87 and proudly boasted about probably being the Night Market’s oldest volunteer. A beloved and prominent member of the Jade District Steering Committee for over 10 years, Nancy is an integral part of the Jade District community and a true example of how community shapes the places we call home. Nancy was all smiles while greeting members of the Jade District community and handing out bright orange APANO tote bags. To her and all the other volunteers, we have so much appreciation!

When it comes to how culture shapes our experiences as well, each year of the Jade Night Market helps to carry those cultural traditions and offers a space and stage for those traditions to live on. This year’s market included over 5 hours of performances, featuring cultural dances, previews from a new musical written by The Slants, ever-popular night market favorites like the martial arts show from the Summit Wushu Academy and the acrobatic feats of the White Lotus Dance Troupe and even local favorites like the dance team from McDaniel High School. Some of the performing groups, like the Wushu Summit Academy have been performing with us since the very first market!

Another performance group who we have been lucky enough to collaborate with since nearly the beginning, is Ballet Papalotl. Founded by Dr. Kenya Márquez in 2003, “Papalotl” means “butterfly” in Nahuatl, the language spoken by the Aztecs and still spoken by Indigenous communities in Mexico today. Dr. Marquez explained that “the butterfly carrie[s] powerful meanings connected to transformation, movement, fire, the soul, warriors and the continuing presence of those who came before us. Since 2003, our mission has been to share authentic Mexican culture and help people know who we truly are beyond stereotypes and clichés… We truly value being part of a celebration that brings cultures and communities together.” A staple performer at the Jade Night Market, Ballet Papalotl intertwines both cultural performance and dance with historical storytelling, humor, and politics. Their iconic colorful attire (most of which is handmade by the dancers) and beautiful dances never fail to captivate and inspire the crowds at Jade International Night Market.

When speaking on her group’s performances’ and their ability to transport an audience, Dr. Marquez said, “When I dance, I play with the air, carrying the traditions of our ancestors with me. For a moment, they come alive again - and through movement, color, and music, I can share the beauty and richness of our culture and create a cultural magic that others can feel too.”

The night market also would not be what it is without our many food vendors bringing all their different cultures and flavors to the table. For some the market is also a launching pad because the night market offers an opportunity for chefs to grow and build their platform while meeting the community at the heart of the Jade. Sandy of Sandy’s Myanmar Cuisine has been cooking her entire life, starting with the meals she made with her mother and aunties in their home kitchen. After immigrating from Myanmar, she got her start in the Portland food scene at places like farmer’s markets and selling food through the Portland Mercado. In spring of 2019, Sandy first shared her food with the Portland community at New Year in the Park, a cultural festival for Southeast Asian communities that happens every April with just four menu items, and just a few months later, she vended at the Jade International Night Market for the first time sharing Burmese food with our SE Portland community. APANO staff were lucky enough to be Sandy’s first supporters that night, ordering multiple plates of perfectly cooked chicken wings and curry! We are so honored to have been an early part of Sandy's journey, and just four years later, Sandy opened her first brick and mortar location at CORE Food Collective down the street from us on 82nd Avenue. Nowadays if you’re looking to enjoy some of Sandy’s delicious food, you can find her stationed at Rockwood Markethall, but she still comes back every year for the night market to be a vendor.

For Sandy and many other vendors, participating in the night market is not just about the business either. Sandy says, “My favorite part about vending at the night market is getting to meet so many wonderful people and introducing them to authentic Myanmar food and culture. I love seeing people try our food for the first time and hearing how much they enjoy it. The night market feels like a special community space to me. It brings together people from different cultures, small businesses, and local communities. I'm proud to share a little piece of Myanmar with everyone and be part of such a welcoming and diverse community.”

Beyond the food, culture, and art though, is a truth that most people do not know about the Jade International Night Market - this event is not one that turns a profit. For over 10 years, APANO and the Jade District has put hundreds of hours of painstaking effort into making the event the best that we can because of the importance of creating spaces where our communities can be together. The Jade International Night Market creates a sense of place and home on 82nd Avenue, and memories and connections like the ones made at Jade Night Market will go on to impact the communities here for generations to come. Portland is one of the fastest gentrifying cities in the nation, and our neighbors are at risk of displacement without support to keep them in place. With rent prices soaring in just the past few years, neighborhoods that are a majority low-income and working class rarely get representation and often face neglect, as clearly seen by the cracked pavement and lack of green spaces. Still, the communities here deserve spaces like the Night Market to flourish and thrive, and it’s easy to see the joy permeating the space just by taking a quick stroll through the market.

And because the community is at the center of our work when we put this event on, last year we piloted the “Jade Dollars” program, giving community members the opportunity to participate in the night market regardless of income. Community members who are recipients of SNAP or other assistance programs could sign up to receive vouchers to spend at the market both on food and crafts, but anyone who didn’t have proof of assistance could still fill out a survey to receive Jade Dollars, no-questions asked. This year the program returned, and we are proud to have been able to gift $2,500 in Jade Dollars to the community; our community partners at PBOT also distributed an additional $4,000 in Jade Dollars to folks who commuted via public transit to the event!

We are thankful to be able to offer this program, because for 10 years, our community has been the fabric that holds the Night Market together. Every part of the night market is put together by the contributions of our partners and friends. Families went home with trays of free succulents gifted to us generously by Portland Nursery. Supporters sported merch with brand new visuals created by PSU’s design studio, RODEO, which gave this year’s Night Market materials a makeover with playful pinks and greens. Youth from the Key Club were amongst the first to help set up and were also amongst the last picking up trash and packing long after the crowds had dispersed. Across the board, the community showed up and poured their hearts into building a space that has brought the Jade District together for over 10 years.

So as we look back on the Jade Night Market, we can say with certainty that carving out a space for our communities but also with our communities is some of the most important work that we can do. When so many resources are being slashed left and right, and the worst things imaginable are happening, our communities are still taking the time to play, connect, and cultivate moments of joy. 14 years and 10 markets later, the Night Market is a reminder that joy is not separate from the work; it is part of what sustains us. And every summer, at the corner of 82nd and Division, while gobbling spam musubi and dancing on the PCC lawn, we get to create that joy together. 💚