After a successful debut at Boston City Hall Plaza last year, Panda Fest returns to Boston for the second time with an even bigger festival! If your ideal weekend involves snacking your way across Asia without leaving Boston, Panda Fest is your kind of party.
What is Panda Fest?
Launched in 2024, this festival quickly became one of the largest outdoor Asian food and culture events in the country, drawing hundreds of thousands of guests to cities coast to coast. Think 80+ food vendors serving 200+ dishes from China, Japan, Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, and beyond, plus a marketplace packed with crafts, apparel, and art inspired by Asian heritage. Add in lion dances, K-pop performances, traditional art demos, and the festival’s signature 15-foot inflatable panda, and it’s a full-on cultural playground.
Panda Fest Returns to Boston this spring
Boston got its first taste of Panda Fest last year, and the response was big enough to sell out two months early. This spring, the festival is coming back bigger and bolder from May 15–17, 2026, taking over Ohiri Field at Harvard University in Allston.
After seeing the incredible response to Panda Fest’s debut in Boston, it was clear there was a real hunger for this kind of celebration,” says BiuBiu Xu, Founder of Panda Fest. “This year, we’re returning with a larger venue, an even larger lineup, more regions and flavors represented, and deeper cultural experiences. Panda Fest continues to be about bringing people together through authentic food, shared traditions, and the joy of discovering Asian culture in a vibrant, immersive way.”
Organizers are promising a larger venue, more vendors, and expanded cultural programming shaped by what Boston crowds loved most in year one. Expect new regions and flavors represented, deeper cultural experiences, and plenty of those now-iconic panda photo ops.
How to attend?
Panda Fest Boston returns Friday, May 15 through Sunday, May 17. Early Bird tickets are $10 and go on sale on Thursday, February 26 at 10 AM. Early Bird ticket sales are limited to the first 1,000 customers and will be available until sold out or March 15 at 10 PM.
General admission is $14 and VIP is $35, with all Saturday tickets $2 more. GA gets you timed entry, access to all vendors and performances, panda attractions, and two freebies—a customized Boston Panda pin and a panda headband—while VIP adds fast-pass entry, VIP areas and bathrooms, plus an exclusive panda bag. Kids under six get in free (with their own headband). Panda Fest allows strollers and only service dogs. Learn more and get ready for Early Bird tix on the Panda Fest Boston site!
Find the second annual Panda Fest Boston:
📍Ohiri Field 65 North Harvard Street, Boston, Massachusetts
📅Friday, May 15 from 4-10 PM
📅Saturday, May 16 from 10 AM- 10 PM
📅Sunday, May 17 from 10 AM- 8 PM