626 Night Market back in full force after being limited

A Summer tradition in the San Gabriel Valley has officially returned. 

The 626 Night Market is back open to the public in full capacity after it was forced to limit its crowd size last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Visitors who arrived to Santa Anita Park on Friday to check out the market were greeted by live music and the smell of good food. 

"We heard about this night market for years and we've never been," Jaime McMahon said. "We live right here and it's so close and it's a beautiful day and it's Friday night we thought let's get out and spend some time around people outdoors at a nice place."

The 626 Night Market even provided a chance for students to get out of the house during summer break. 

"It's nice to be able to get out. I haven't had camp so I just kinda been at home," Natalie McMahon told CBSLA Reporter Kandiss Crone. 

The iconic festival is named after the 626 area code of the San Gabriel Valley region and takes inspiration from open-air bazaars in Asia.

The event has been a staple in the arcadia community and SGV since 2012. 

From sizzling fried rice to grilled lobster, and all the fun family games you can imagine, this weekend festival has something for people of all ages.

"We have a mobile art gallery, we have the human claw machine," Jennifer Sanchez, 626 Night Market marketing coordinator, said on Friday. "We have so many activities for the family and we hope to see a lot of new faces a lot of old ones."

This year's event is the second since the pandemic began. The market will be back next weekend before returning to Santa Anita Park for one weekend in August (26-28) and September (3-5).

For more information, check out the market's website.