Twin Cities Panda Fest: 80+ food vendors, performances return to Mall of America

Happy 33rd birthday Mall of America

The Mall of America storyteller Dan Jasper takes us back 33 years ago to when the Mall of America opened.

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. (FOX 9) - A popular Asian food and culture festival is coming back to the Mall of America this summer with even more to see, taste and do, according to organizers.

Panda Fest expands at Mall of America

What we know:

Panda Fest will run for three days in the North Lot of Mall of America, starting Friday, July 31, 2026, and wrapping up Sunday, August 2, 2026.

Organizers say the festival is growing in its second year, with more than 80 food vendors and food trucks offering over 200 dishes from across Asia.

The event will also feature a marketplace of more than 20 vendors selling crafts, apparel, accessories and other goods inspired by Asian culture.

Dig deeper:

Organizers say that beyond food, attendees can expect art demonstrations, dance, theater and live entertainment. Last year featured lion dances, sugar painting, paper cutting, calligraphy and K-pop dance performances, according to a press release.

An official 2026 lineup will be announced closer to the event.

Big picture view:

The festival keeps pandas at the heart of its theme, with a 15-foot inflatable panda, a panda bounce ring, themed treats, exclusive merchandise, interactive games and plenty of photo opportunities, organizers say.

What you can do:

General admission tickets are $14 and VIP tickets are $35, with Saturday tickets costing $2 more.

Early Bird tickets are $10, but limited to 1,000, beginning on April 17, 2026, at 10 a.m., until April 26, 2026, at 10 p.m., or while supplies last.

The backstory:

Launched in 2024, Panda Fest has quickly become one of the largest outdoor Asian food and culture festivals in the country.

According to a press release, in its first year, it held 13 events across 11 cities and welcomed more than 500,000 attendees.

The festival started as a one-day event called Panda Day, and has since grown into a multi-day, multi-city celebration, including in cities such as Atlanta, Boston, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Dallas, Seattle, Austin, Charlotte, Nashville and Orlando.