The Asian American Expo is a fantastic way to discover new products; especially food products! This was my second time attending the AAE and as amazing as it was, it wasn't as fun as last year's, which had way more brands and samples (as well as deals). Think, buying products at wholesale prices, without having to buy them in bulk. There were a lot of the usual sponsors, like Toyota that had a wonderful set up; selling merch, giving swag, and having a few display vehicles to wow the patrons. There were also a lot of cultural dances to watch if you wanted to just relax in one place, sit down and watch some drummers drumming or dancers dancing. They were all so beautiful with their make up and outfits! Another note, both years I attended, there was also a simultaneous expo next door called anime impulse. You could walk around on that side too which showcased some neat cars, artisans selling crafts and merchandise, and a whole room full of kpop(Kfest), as well as cosplayers walking around. There was definitely a lot going on and it's definitely worth the 30$ entry ticket and 20$ parking. There were also shuttles (like the ones at Disneyland) taking people to and from their vehicles from the giant parking lot to the venue which was very nice and convenient. A lot of people bring suitcases or wagons to shop without having to keep going to and from their vehicles in the parking lot too often, dropping off goods (it gets heavy and hard to walk around!) read more

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It was my first time ever to visit the Asian American Expo. This is the expo's 8th year and I can definitely see why it is a popular event! The expo this year was held at the Pomona Fairflex. We arrived around 11:30 am and the entrance already had quite a long line. I took a bit of time to get our parking ticket. Parking is $21 but there's definitely plenty of parking. We chose to park towards the back so it was a bit of a walk but we noticed there's also a mini tram to take for folks who prefer a ride versus walking. Getting through the actual main entrance to the expo was quick and easy. Once in, it's off to a lot of different booths, shows and photo ops! The Asian American Expo was in Hall 4 and it housed a ton of different booths offering Asian food and drinks. One could basically almost find any Asian food or drink that exists. It was that extensive! I saw hot pot broths, lots of noodles, Chinese onion pancakes, pineapple cake, cookies, rolls and so much more. Many of the booths offered free samples. Aside from food and drinks, there were also giveaway booths from different casinos (seemed to be popular thing with a lot of visitors as I saw long lines). There were also some beauty and massage booths. There were also various shows throughout the day. From kung fu dancing to karaoke, the entertainment was a lot of fun! Outside of the hall, there were lots of food booths. They are the booths you typically would see at fairs and night markets. We enjoyed some bbq sticks, Peking duck rolls and boba. On average expect to pay about $15 or more per booth. This year Asian American Expo was at the same time as K-Play K-POP convention and Anime Impulse (more on those events in a future Yelp review). A ticket to the Asian American Expo included entrance to those events too! A day pass ticket was $29.42 or you could purchase a 1 day pass 4 pack for $97.77. The expo ran from 10am to 7pm- plenty of time to get in your share of samples, shows and shopping! Overall I had a fun time at the Asian American Expo and would go again. read more

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NEVER FORGET WHAT THEY TOOK FROM YOU. It was still a more pleasant experience the second day since the lines were more fisted the first day, but there's a lot less freebies than in the previous years. No more Toyota test drive for a free gift card, they just have their spot in Anime Impulse and the model cars to look at in the main hall, but the wheel you spin for the prize is literally just the same prize wheel at any Toyota community event or when you see them posted up at the Santa Anita Mall. Huge downgrade sadly, and someone asked what happened to the test driving and a rep said that this was the last year that they were going to do this event and they're going to pull out. I hope it isn't so, but who knows with how things are going. No big vendors that are usually repeat from other years like the bird's nest drink people, Boiling Point, 99 Ranch, etc. Ajinomoto used to have this huge booth that gave several samples of their gyoza and dumplings and one year had the demo where you cook it yourself, but this year they only gave out 1 gyoza and their booth is just a small outdoor one. Really makes you think... A plus is that I'm not really having to use WeChat as much as the other years, maybe they're trying to be more inclusive of a western audience that's more likely to have Instagram downloaded. But that means less prizes. I didn't walk out with piles of piles of tote bags, pens, keychains, water bottles, office supplies, etc. I still got them but much less. I'd usually come out of this con with anywhere from 6-8 of the huge tote bags with goodies, but this year, it was only 2.5, granted that I spent way more time at Anime Impulse's Star Garden. Definitely much less samples too. This includes hot food samples and definitely the snacks and drinks samples. The main huge industry food hall barely had samples in comparison to the other years. Don't know if it's too much of a hassle to do or if health inspectors did a crack down... Even Ito-En stopped giving out samples too. SIGH. I hope this becomes the crazy good con that it used to be because it's my favorite "anime" con for this reason. read more

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Attending the Asian American Expo 2026 at the Pomona Fairplex was an unforgettable two-day celebration of culture, creativity, and community. The event brought together an incredible mix of organizations and small vendors, each showcasing unique arts, crafts, and goods that reflected the rich diversity of Asian heritage. What truly stood out was the sense of unity and inclusivity. People from all cultures and backgrounds came together to honor Asian traditions and artistry. The atmosphere was vibrant and welcoming, with something for everyone--whether you were exploring intricate handmade crafts, admiring stunning cosplay, or browsing collectible trading cards. One of the most exciting highlights was the display of tuner vehicles, which added a modern and dynamic twist to the cultural showcase. And then there was the food--absolutely phenomenal! From savory street snacks to authentic regional dishes, the culinary offerings were a feast for the senses. Every bite told a story, and there was truly something for every palate. Overall, the Asian American Expo was more than just an event; it was a celebration of a culture, beauty, creativity, and shared experiences. It reminded me how powerful cultural exchange can be in bringing people together and inspiring new connections. read more

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Asian American Expo was an event that I've bookmarked but finally gave it a try in 2026. This became one of my favorite expos in SoCal. For parking, it was an easy process going from the gate and getting funneled to available spots. They take American Express at the gate. Be prepared to remember where your car is parked because it could feel like a maze later. For food, there were a lot of options all around the venue. There were so many options but my girlfriend and I could only try a handful. There was a good variety of items and we specifically got to try the following: matcha latte, pork belly tacos, tiramisu parfait, pizza taiyaki, and ube banana pudding. We saw online that there was a program. But honestly this wasn't something we focused on. Most of our time was spent browsing the different halls that consisted of different vendors, food vendors, kpop, artwork, anime, etc. The only drawback was we were not able to get a full preview of what vendors were attending. However, we were able to get by with some of the ones highlighted on their instagram and discovered by walking around. We spent about 3.5 hours here. A lot of vendors accepted American Express. Looking forward to coming back here again! read more

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Oh wow. Never been to one of these before and now I'm regretting it just a bit. Seems like the entire Southern California Asian-American community came to the expo on this Sunday. Glad to see this type of support! There was so much to see, hear, and eat (a reported 1,300 vendors/exhibitors) at this lively and vibrant expo, so I'll just mention some of the highlights and lowlights for me: Likes: - Grilled BBQ skewers, all types. Oh man, sooo good. These were a big hit. Easy to eat and carry around. The perfect expo food. - Five Alive. K-Pop, eye candy group. Reminded me of Black Pink. I think they're fairly new, but they should go far...although they did lip-sync through their set :( - Multiple stages with various entertainment. - Awesome, modded rice rockets everywhere. Dislikes: - Waiting to get in for parking. Ugh. Lines to get in just to park were so long that they even had porta potties on the side just in case. But once you got in, everything was organized. They even had trams. - Drink/refreshments should've been more centralized. You really had to go and look for them, and the expo is massive. - Not many places to sit and eat at all. - Should've put the info booths near the entrance. Had to look around just to find where I was going. - Would've liked to have seen a little more representation of the Asian diaspora. The expo really was heavy on Chinese themes (understandably, it is Chinese new year) and anime. You could've easily called this an anime convention. Still had a great time, though. Will definitely try and come back next year. Thanks again to Yelp for the complimentary tix! You guys rock! read more

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It's been a few years since we have came to the Asian American Expo in Pomona Fairplex. Getting here was a bit challenging this morning. There's so many activities at the Fairplex that some of the gates were just congested everywhere. For those that came here before you're probably used to it. Other than trying to find parking which took a little long time once we did find parking it was relatively easy to get here to the Asian American expo side of the house. Interestingly, enough, when we got here at the Asian American expo, you can go to a few of the other venues like the anime expo the anime car expo, the collectors expo where a comic cons and comic cards and cards trading in Pokémon trading are done and there's also the anime alley that a lot of folks can enjoy. read more

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First off, parking was horrendous, we waited for 2 hours. Why was this happening??? Is it because they put all the events all in one parking lot? I couldn't understand it but they need to fix it next year. The things that were offered in each hall was great, there was so many things to look at and to purchase. I definitely loved the one that had the food in it, there were a lot of samples and products to buy. It definitely got crowded for sure. The food that was offered was like we were at the fair so it was a lot of options but of course really overpriced, especially the drinks. But that's the norm these days so I can't really complain about it. read more

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The general exhibits were very good. Samples were plentiful and prizes to be won were fun. The food exhibits were a definite hit. You can refine what ramen you desired most. My wife spun a wheel and won a free facial. Was it free? She loved it so much, we purchased two facials and other cosmetic specials. Several food trucks to feed the hungry. We got there at 10am so we weren't very hungry. It smelled tempting though. Half of the exhibition were filled with anime and card shows. A great place for those who are interested. Parking was good once you got in. They only took credit cards, so this took time to get in. read more

Entrance fee 25 PP If your 70+ yrs old it's free Parking $21 Online it's $22 but then they get you with fees after. I loved the diversity of having a lil bit of everything, it was my first time coming to the AAEXPO so I wasn't sure what to expect. My daughter wanted to try a few Asian snacks and look around My son wanted to try out the different foods and practice his mandarin. His friends bring interesting food for lunch and they swap foods during lunch sooo he was excited to try more of these foods. It was fun, interesting and clean. I knocked off a star due to the pricing. The price point didn't make sense at all given the size of the actual event (small ) plus the parking price. Don't let me determine your presence. What do you got to lose ? Cough cough $25 and parking... My group had 5 so it was pretty steep for me. (Me n my kids ) yes there's 4 read more

Asian American Expo - Festivals Near Me - Pomona, California

After a few years' hiatus since the pandemic, I finally made it back to the Asian American Expo in Pomona, and it was an eventful all day experience! PSA wear comfortable shoes. A lot of walking if you want to see every hall and every booth. It's a bit over $20 entry plus fees and parking was like another $20 per car. It's getting pricey. It felt like a nice blend of different cultural events, almost like a mini 626 Night Market, a taste of Anime Expo, and a touch of Frank & Sons all rolled into one. One of the highlights was definitely the food! If you're looking for a snack haul, this is the place to be. The prices were noticeably lower than what you'd find at regular stores, making it a fantastic opportunity to stock up on your favorite Asian snacks and treats. Yay shrimp crackers! Another unexpected perk was the Toyota EV test drive. They were offering gift cards for participating, which was a nice bonus and helped offset the admission and parking costs. It's a clever way to engage attendees with new vehicles on the market and add value to the experience. It was truly refreshing to see the expo back in action. The atmosphere was lively, and there was something for everyone. Whether you're interested in exploring cultural booths, indulging in delicious food, or discovering unique merchandise, you'll find it here. Bring lots of cash though some offer credit card payments. If you're looking for a fun and affordable way to spend a day immersed in Asian culture, the Asian American Expo in Pomona is definitely worth checking out. I'm already looking forward to my next visit! Though sadly prices have slightly gone up due to inflation. read more

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I saw Asian American Expo featured on KTLA News, where it was introduced as the largest Lunar New Year celebration in the U.S., and decided to give it a try. The ticket price was only $25, so I figured ,what's there to lose? Turns out... WOW. It completely blew my mind. There is so much to do. From traditional Asian culture to pop culture like anime, K-pop, and collectibles, it truly has something for everyone. The food alone is worth it !Asian cuisines everywhere ! and the performances were incredible. Everything from traditional kung fu and cultural dances to full-on concerts. I actually teared up watching the traditional Chinese dance. It was so beautiful and meaningful. As a parent, it meant a lot to see my child experiencing and embracing Asian heritage in such a joyful way. I brought my kid and her friends, and they had the BEST time. They even have free arcade games you can play unlimited times !!the kids didn't want to leave! We entered right when the gates opened around 10am. There were a lot of people, but the line control was very well organized, and we got in quickly. We stayed all the way until closing at 7pm and still couldn't cover everything. That's how much there is to see and do. For the price you pay, this event is way beyond worth it. Above and beyond expectations. We're already going back again on Sunday !! and honestly, I'd go again after that. Highly, highly recommend. read more

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A solid albeit humbling experience at the classic Asian American Expo. We tried a variety of vendors, including the lamb skewers, lychee tea (not pictured) and the bbq swirling potato stick. Nothing in a particular stood out, but it was still a fun experience nonetheless. I did enjoy the free traditional Chinese dances and music at the venue. A lot of KPOP and Anime has taken over the convention, which although is nice, perhaps overwhelms the previous traditional cultural theme of the expo. read more

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I've been here 3 different years. Why haven't I wrote a review?? Anyway, I know of this place because of work. The company I work for used to do these trade shows. I LOVE ASIAN CULTURE! So coming back over and over is going to be a regular lol Plenty to see and eat. A ton of people and vendors. Entertainment too. On this visit, I just walked around and snapped photos. I didn't eat anything. I've pretty much had everything on a regular day living in SGV lol I highly suggest you visit. $20 admission. I saved on parking because I parked nearby and rode my bike to the entrance. Locked it and saved $25 lol Cosplay is probably the coolest thing at these events to me. Too many photos to upload. But I'll just put some up. I loved it. See y'all next year! read more

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It should be call anime expo. Not as Asian expo. Info from light rail to expo is horrendously bad info. No fairplex info station nor any expo staff member knows much info at all. 50% of space is rented out to major food distributor to resell their space to food brands for marketing. Why would anyone pay $30 to go in? Worth for the anime attendees since it's not actually the past Asian expo anymore. 1 Hall for the actual expo and 7 Hall for anime. I remember the glory days of this expo and when $6 was already not worth paying. read more

For the previous years , was 5 stars . But for this year , only 3 stars. The reason are , no more test drive which was my planned because I wanted to test the certain models . And , this year they no longer let us going back in ( with stamp ) like previous years , so we won't be able to put the stuffs and going back to buy more stuffs , that's not good for both vendors and visitors. read more

Super fun! Definitely worth the trip! It's $20 admission and $18 parking. I love that there's so many halls with different events going. Next year, I want to take my mom here. They really do have a great deal. There's plenty of giveaways and prizes. I read prior yelp reviews and was so glad I brought a small cart with me. It definitely helped me carry my purchases and free gifts. There's so many Asian snacks and food here. The discount is definitely better than grocery stores. 99 ranch had so many stands. They had the best gifts. I'll definitely plan to come back again next year. read more

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Very crowded but good entertainment. Food vendors expensive and a lot of smoke everywhere. Going every few years is fine to see new products. read more

Very diverse, inclusive, safe. Appropriate for families, couples, singles, all ages. There's something for everyone, more or less... There are a variety of halls from anime to kpop to sneakers to voice actors/artists hall to the more traditional hall (main four). There are several different stages throughout the grounds with almost half just being screenings of music videos or some form of it. There were an enormous amount of people (probably beyond fire hazard limit lol) and parking traffic was hectic and congested. Inside there were plenty of security and no issues from what I saw. There was indoor entertainment as well as outdoors. Highlights included anime cars, street performers and people watching. The food vendors were okay; very smokey and crowded. People bumping was a common thing here... Food lines are long and foot traffic would test even the patience of Buddhist monks. Another thing, the stinky tofu odor was unbearable.... it lingered about the outdoor food grounds... just imagine a steamy stew of hot sewage marinated with pig slaughterhouse innards and that's what stinky tofu smells like... naturally offensive to the senses... Other than that, this is an experience unlike anything else you'll find in the LA region... it's like stepping into a different world... literally it's spaced out into different areas... there's the cosplay anime crowd and then the kpop freaks crowd and then the traditional more Chinese crowd, and then families and eateries, etc. Overall, cool to experience once but I probably won't return... just because it's a bit of a drive, traffic was horrendous upon gate entry, once inside it was crowded and hectic, the halls were overly commercialized and overall not enough cultural activities or festivities imho... there were so many things happening all at once, I couldn't even process half the things I was seeing as I walked thru the halls... at one point, everything just blurred out... Like I said, one time and that's it. I'm good. read more

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This expo has a lot to do and see. Be sure to wear good walking shoes (the parking lot has a tram to the entrance but you will have to wait for the tram when you leave) and bring a cart. They have out tons of free bags. There were also samples and cheap freebies. It's too far to walk back to the car, so make it easy on yourself and bring a cart or your rolling luggage. I came here primarily for the food. There's plenty of standard 626 night market kind of food. Some lines looked very long. The food isn't incredible but it's something to do. There were 2 big halls with somewhat discounted Chinese food and lots of different things to sample. There were other halls for sneaker heads, anime-lovers, and Kpop fans that I couldn't care about. It was very busy and a long day just to get out and look at things. I recommend this event since there are plenty of things to see and try. read more

I have a Love-Hate relationship with the Asian American Expo. I love coming here for the deals, but I hate paying for the parking at the Fairplex. Despite hating to pay for parking, it is always fun to come to the Expo and go home with a bunch of freebies or discounted food/cosmetic products. There are several halls of vendors - anything from food products, cosmetic, furniture, legal, banking, health services to funeral services. My must-have annually is the lamb kebabs. I always regret not bringing a dolly or pull-cart with me each year when I come to the Expo. So, my advice to you is... if you don't plan to buy anything, still come here with a backpack. Trust me... You will find something to buy! I highly advise the bargain hunters to come here on the last day because vendors usually have deeper discounts before closing. They have added several new things to the Asian American Expo during the last few years: Anime Impulse (Cosplay), K-Play Fest (K-Pop stuff) and Sneakers Expo. The expo is usually in the beginning of the year (before Chinese New Year). read more

DAY 1 (4:30PM): I had no idea what I was doing. I had no expectations of what this was going to be. I was only there to see my friend model during a fashion show @Blushcon. I walked around by myself. It was okay. There was some good food, but I had already had a giant lunch with friends before I showed up. Day 1's impression - Asian American = EAST ASIAN and MOSTLY Chinese/Taiwanese seems like 99%. The remaining 1% is South Korean, Japanese, Indonesian (and American). I didn't see any companies from India or Central Asia. That would be CRAZY GOOD. po cha & lamb skewers! I loved that Anime Impulse and BlushCon were part of AAExpo. There is so much to see here! DAY 2 (4PM): I came with my kid. We ate TONS OF FOOD. The food is priced like any fair/event. It's pricey, but it's really good. There are so many different types of Chinese regional flavors represented. We didn't bother with sample hunting. We walked around and looked at the company & product booths, artists work, COSPLAYERS' amazing costumes. It was a lot more fun to attend with someone and do one of the "SPIN TO WIN" - we won hats, pens, ice cream, notebooks and shopping bags! TIPS FOR AMATEURS (reminder for me): Bring your friends! Cash: Bring enough. You'll be tempted to spend it all. Some of the food trucks take ApplePay and Venmo. Water: Bring it. There are water purification vendors happy to fill it for you. Shoes: Comfortable sure. (it's not too big. Walking is mostly slow) Candy/Gum: If you're like me, you're going to eat a lot of dried fish and strange fruits. YUM, right? but your friends might not like your breath after. Buying stuff: CANS AND JARS ARE HEAVY. buy those last, or bring them to the car, else drag them around all day. Driving: Check your maps/assistance. Los Angeles traffic is bad from everywhere at some point or another. Parking: LOT 9 ($12 per car per day) Come late on Saturday. Come early on Sunday. (Sunday evening has discounted food happy hour tho) Free tickets? Check YELP next year for sure. But they're pretty cheap for an expo. I'll definitely be back with a bigger crew next year. read more

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Parking is $12. Admission is $11. Someone gave us two coupons by the ticketing booths for $1 off per person. Which makes it $10 to go in. Lots of freeibes so be prepared. You'll be hauling tons of stuff around all day. Most of the vendors are Chinese. And 90% of a chance you'll be asked to scan their wechat QR code in order to join their raffles. Tons of free food and drink samples too. Wish there were more seating areas throughout because its pretty tiring towards the end of the day. Bring cash, pocket tissues, and hand sanitizers! AND Wear comfortable shoes! read more

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We came by on Sunday not expecting much & had a blast!! There were so many vendors inside 5 expo buildings & the surrounding outdoor areas. This event also included Blushcon & Anime Impulse events. 626 Night Market x50! Make sure to wear comfy shoes as there's a lot of walking! We wished we brought a wagon/cart as you get lots of samples & giveaways. We weren't expecting to shop as much as we did either. Those freebies got way heavy! Also, vendors liked to give out reusable bags & I was happy to collect them. They come in handy for grocery shopping! The pricing of things varies from vendor to vendor. Some items were priced to sell and some were about the same as retail prices. You could find some pretty good prices if you looked around. We got there early & it was great! As the day passed it got busier & busier. It started to feel like Hong Kong in a busy market. We left after we walked the whole expo. Blushcon was a bit of a disappointment as it was a small area (about half of a building) but we got to visit new vendors. Anime Impulse was super cute! We saw so many people dressed to the max in cosplay. There was a full building of vendors & had an event stage. There was also a pimped up Hello Kitty Toyota Sienna. We parked in lot 9 which is the Blue gate & you walk in the tunnel to drop you out near the farm area. So much better than the crazy lines at the Yellow gate! Parking was $12 per vehicle. Shout out to Yelp for the tickets!! :D Recommended! read more

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I won tickets to Blushcon through a Yelp giveaway and, even though I was there for Blushcon, I really ended up spending more time at the Asian American Expo and at the Anime Impulse portions of the event. Blushcon itself was really just half an exhibition building within the Asian American Expo, which was a little disappointing. It was much smaller and less glamorous than its website and social media described. In all honesty, I wouldn't return to Blushcon. The Asian American Expo overall, though, was quite fun and featured an insane number of food vendors and even some pretty entertaining shows. The Anime Impulse convention was quite entertaining as well. I recommend the Asian American Expo and, if you're into anime, then you'll have a great time at Anime Impulse. However, if you're into beauty and wellness, Blushcon is probably at the bottom of the list. read more

I won tickets through a Yelp giveaway and I'm glad I did. Parking was $12, which wasn't bad considering I was carpooling. Entry to Asian American Expo, Beautycon (which was inside a hall for the Asian American Expo), or Anime Impulse got you admission to the other two as well. Three cons for the price of one is great, especially since you can do everything in one day and a day pass runs about $12. Beautycon: This looked like only half a hall in the multiple Asian American Expo halls. It was small. Didn't seem like much stuff, mostly start-ups/smaller companies with stuff like hair styling, eyelashes, soaps/oils, occasionally makeup. I was probably too late to see/hear any influencers, not that I knew many of them from checking their website. I thought this area was a disappointment. 2/5 Asian American Expo: Free samples galore! This expo took up so many halls. There were some great deals. Kikkoman had a lot of sauces available for $1/$2 and I saw packs of instant noodles being sold on the cheap ($2/$3 for many individual packs). There was an art gallery in half a hall, a hall for packaged food sales, and a hall for Asian brands/companies. Quite a variety. 5/5 Anime Impulse: I'll also write a separate review for this. Compared to Animanga last year, Anime Impulse also has a free arcade area. However, there were more itasha cars outside to look at and a larger artist alley for a local con. There were even backdrops available for photos (Jojo stand poses, anyone?). Nice choice if you don't want to deal with Anime Expo and just want a taste of the con life. 5/5 read more

I submitted interest in Asian American Expo/Anime Impulse on the Yelp Events page and I was luckily selected to get free tickets! Getting here can be quite the challenge, ESPECIALLY if there are other events going on. AA Expo had its entrance at Gate 9. I've honestly never been to AA Expo, so given Jan. 2020 was my first time, I'm actually quite impressed. This expo is a combination of an anime convention, a beauty convention, business convention, and a food market. Honestly, I came for the food + anime, and I don't regret it. The other parts are just a bonus (*cough*freebies*cough). Food is reasonably priced compared to 626 Night Market or LA/OC Fair. I was able to buy a LARGE boba drink for THREE ($3) dollars. Most of the food was priced between ($5-10). That's AMAZING! The anime portion is small, but that gives you a lot of room to look around without bumping into anyone. All in all, I'd actually come back next year! read more

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Free stuff! There's so much free stuff the vendors give out. There're shows to watch like belly dancing, singing, vegas show girls, etc. some vendors are pushy and try to sell you things a bit forcefully, but most of them are informative and nice. The lines for free stuff weren't too bad. The longest line we waited in was about 20min. Blushcon is inside Asian American expo, it's in a corner of one of the halls. It's a bunch of makeup booths. Food - there're so many food vendors, it's like going to 626 night market. Lots of the same vendors here. Parking - at gate 9 for $12. read more

This expo has gotten much bigger and better over the years, so many vendors, the most interesting was anime impulse. To my surprise, the food selections were AWESOME! Decided to come here on late Sunday afternoon, so the crowd wasn't too crazy, we walked around a bit to look for cocktail bars, turned out there were two bars at the anime impulse hall. Drink prices were not bad, at least they serve premium liquor, I got Hendrick's gin on the double for $19, it was a big cup though. Most of the food venders serve meat and carbs, very few seafood choices. We tried fresh oysters, there was also fresh Uni bowls, sushi donuts, grilled oysters, grilled octopus, fresh lobsters and spicy whole fish. A lot of ppl were in line for Korean BBQ and lamb skewers Chinese style. Seoul sausage food truck was great for meat lovers, hubby had kalbi beef sausage with kimchi relish hot dog, he liked it a lot. I was really impressed with all the food, it was worth coming here for the food alone if you are into street and fair food! Anime impulse was so much fun, there was cosplay fashion show, lots of young ppl were in anime costumes too. This fair was really better than I expected, we had fun and would like to come back next year, maybe I will be in some fun costume too! read more

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For those of you who are still sitting on the fence, deciding whether to go tomorrow, here's my take on it: TICKETS: It's $10 for parking and $9 per adult for admission. So for the 2 of us, we spent $28 just to get in the door. We think it's worth it and we'll come back next year. But it's our own perspective and many people will think differently. FOOD: The food booths are basically those you'll see in major night markets, such as the 626 Night Market. The food section is near the entrance, and don't worry you can't miss it - Upon arriving you'll see the smoke from the barbeques and you'll smell the stinky tofu! There are plenty of skewer food, including a few that sells the Beijing style bbq lamb skewers Good stuff!) There are also Thai satay, teriyaki skewers, among many others. The numerous selections of food items include the "rotato" skewer which always command the longest line, ramen, Taiwanese soup noodles, Thai food, a Korean food truck, waffles, etc. There are also many selections on drinks from Thai tea to Taiwanese milk tea, boba drinks, among many others. If you know all the tea places in the SVG, you'll know almost every store represented here today. I had a honey green tea which was really good. The food aisle is very wide and spacious so even though there is a huge (and I mean huge) crowd, there's plenty of space for the food lines to form and for people to maneuver around. There are also plenty of tables and seating areas, and it has been quite easy for us to find a place to sit down and eat today. Prices are basic festival prices, $5 for snacks and about $10 for a combo meal. Be prepared to spend about $15 or more per person for food and drinks. You can bring your own bottled water and many booths here also sell water for $1 each. SHOWS: Do NOT stay in one hall and think that's the expo. There are at least a total of 4 halls and 7 stages. At least 5 stages are located in different halls and there are 2 outdoor stages. There are literally countless shows each lasting typically 15 minutes and is immediately followed by the next act. So the shows are running continuously. They are mostly shows on Asian culture, dances, music, percussion (taiko), martial arts, etc. I have posted many pictures for you to get any idea of what you'll find there. You'll really need to spend almost a whole day there to see everything. TIP: Most of the shows are performed more than once and sometimes also in different locations. If you missed your favorite show, check the schedule to see where you can find it next. SHOPPING: Upon your arrival, pick up a free LARGE shopping bag. It's red and I think it's ugly but if you plan on doing any shopping, you'll need it and appreciate that they give it out for free. Listen: I am usually not a shopper and I didn't plan on going there to shop. I ended up buying over $100 worth of stuff. There are many food and drinks wholesalers and they also give out plenty of free samples. Cookware, fine china dining ware, kitchen ware, boxes of ramen (at wholesale prices), all kinds of Asian snacks that you can imagine, you'll find them there. And don't forget all those yummy Asian sauces and seasoning, whether you only cook occasionally or if you are a pro chef, you'll probably find what you like. These items are just too numerous to list. ALL THE OTHER STUFF: You'll find anything from Lamborghini to Toyota, Steinway pianos to rose wood furniture, and probably everything in between. Their website claims they have 800 booths and there is NO exaggeration at all. Overall I think it's very well organized, especially logistically. It's crowded (ever been to an Asian festival that is not crowded?) but the venue is spacious enough for people to maneuver around. Inside each hall, the booths are very well organized. Stage areas are spacious, and seats are abundant. Bathrooms are very clean and well maintained. There are plenty of garbage bins and they are always emptied promptly. We did not see even one overflowing garbage bin our entire day there. The entire place is clean and neat! We'll be back next year! read more

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A big Thanks to Margaret P our SGV Yelp manager for making it possible to attend this event. It was Asian American Expo / Blushcon. There was plenty of food that's for sure! And good food too. I tried food I had never had before and I must admit some of it I had to spit out when I found out it was a part of duck I would never eat! I really expected more make-up and beauty treatments, but I did not find a lot of those items. I also found the language barrier a bit difficult, although everyone was nice and attempted to help when I asked question it was still difficult to understand. There were many venders and most were food venders but all in all a good experience! read more

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The Asian American Expo is good event, but the name is misleading in many ways. To most, the term "Asian American" implies an assimilation between American and Asian cultures blending the best of both worlds. This event, I'd say is geared more towards the non-English / Immigrant generation. It's still very culturally rich and inviting as well as alluring to non-Asians as well as even the acculturated Asians who have been in the US for many generations. Most of the vendors greeted folks (especially Chinese) in Mandarin, so it was clear that it was ESL (English as a Second Language) in that regards, but everyone was friendly and welcoming. There's lots of vendors who graciously give out logo promo gear like umbrellas, shirts, hat/visors, calendars, water bottles, bags, bags and more bags galore, as well as food samples. The vibe is definitely less "ABC" and is geared more towards Mandarin Chinese speakers. In that way it's less "Asian" (lacking representation from Southeast Asia, Pacific Islanders, India and Korea, but having a pavilion with some Japanese as well as food in the outdoor courtyard available like Ramen) It's not a hip young crowd or setting either, so more for families than singles. It's not a place hipsters converge nor are there hook-ups that can happen socially for the most part. I'm not sure if people get confused by the name and expect something else or not 'tho. My expectations were not necessarily not met, but derailed or deviated a bit, and I quickly adjusted. There were a lot of independent business vendors like insurance folks, etc as well as corporate presence by food mfgs; automobile makers like Toyota, Nissan, Hyundai; Hustler Casino; Delta Airlines; Santa Anita Horse Racing Track; and an assortment of other things to walk around, sample and even buy. Lots of "spinning wheels" free of cost to win knick knack prizes which were fun. They have entertainment throughout the day, even a Chinese hip hop singer who rapped in Mandarin, as well as Lion Dancing, Martial Arts, singing and other performances. Parking was $10 and admission was $10 (I think you can get a $1 off coupon at 99 Ranch; and after 6pm I think it's 1/2 off, so $5 to get in) for adults. There's a senior citizen discount ($7 admission) as well. I'd recommend this event nonetheless, regardless of ethnicity or generation, it's a nice cultural experience for all. A better name for this event (as it exsits today) could be: "The Chinese and Asian Cultural Exposition in America" read more

Asian American Expo - This was a fried pot sticker / gyoza, sort of basically like an egg roll. $2 each or 2 for $3, it was tasty, not oily either. - Festivals Near Me - Pomona, California

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Just think of this place as 626 Night Market times 10! You can barely move around anywhere. I feel like they should disperse the booths better because some of the halls were empty and hall 4 was so packed you couldn't even walk around. If you wanted to go to the bathroom you'd have to snake your way in and out to get to your destination. But nonetheless, there are a lot of cool booths. I'm glad I went to experience it and see what the booths had to offer. FYI lots of FREE STUFF everywhere you go. I see people with 10 bags full of stuff leaving the expo, crazy! PS Props to Richard L. for winning second place at the curry fish ball eating contest! Go Team Richard! read more

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This is my 2nd time attending to the Asian American Expo and here are some spark notes advice I have: 1. wear REALLY comfortable shoes because you'll be hitting over 10k steps 2. cash is KING. 99% of all food vendors don't have a credit card machines or will charge you an arm & leg to use it 3. bring reusable water bottle because you'll be walking a lot 4. bring a grocery cart or someone that can help you carry stuff *There's a lot of vendors passing out free reusable bags and freebies 5. Arrive 30-1hr before the venue open because you'll get really good parking and also avoiding the crowds You can easily spend all day here. I think it's worth the admission price because you have the anime expo, food expo, japanese food aisle and a bunch of other stuff, we people don't need lol. Be careful because the vendors are super aggressive and will pull you left and right wanting to showcase their products. Each year, the vendors are always one upping each other in pop-up designs, which is always a neat sight. As for food, I always get the ginormous taiwanese crispy fried chicken and the baby bottle juice lol because refills are $5. I've tried newer items like "fried moochi" and that was meehhhh, I'd pass. Including the different variations of unique baos, just stick to the original. Stock up on the kikkomen sauces or lays because who doesn't love a good deals! read more

When you're in queue to enter the parking to pay , make sure to stay in the far right lane. There are additional lanes that open up that can only be accessed from the right lane. Saves lots of time. Cash and credit cards accepted. read more

I haven't really been to Asian American Expo for quite a few years. I've noticed there was a lot of food stands this year. Building 6&7 sold a lot of cooking/food items. There were a lot of samples in almost every stand. Building 4 is mostly the main building that has performing arts in the center as you walk in the hall and there's also a stage at one end of the building. Make sure you put your ticket in the drawing at Building 4 at the front of the stage. I didn't buy much. There's not a lot of things to buy that I needed. I bought a few snacks though. I don't think I would come here again. Parking: I parked at Lot 9 costing $11. Make sure you follow the directions of the road because there were different event that was going on around the Fairplex...like the swap meet was held on the same Sunday I went to the Asian American Expo. ***There's always coupons Save $1 off the ticket price. I think 99 Ranch Market might have them or other Asian supermarkets. Just look around Asian areas. Even at the event, I saw that people left a bunch of coupons on the stoned seats at the entrance. read more

Asian American Expo - Entrance gate - Festivals Near Me - Pomona, California

Shoutout to Yelp for the free tickets to this amazing expo! The only thing I needed to pay for was parking which was $12! The Asian American Expo is considered one of the largest event hosted near the Chinese New Year season. This year (2020) it looks like Asian American Expo collaborated with BlushCon and Anime Impulse because buying a ticket allows access to those other cons as well. [Asian American Expo] There was a lot of food samples, freebies, spin the wheel activities, and goodies. Most of the companies there were mainly Chinese/Vietnamese food companies and not much participation from Korean, Japanese or SE brands. Some brands I recognised was Miniso, Melona, Mama's Noodle, and etc. I was glad I came because at this event you get awesome deals like B1G1. I even scored a box of 35 noodle package for $8. Also, the samples they have there got me pulling out my wallet. [Blush Con] If you purchase the Expo ticket, you also have access to this. The booths at this con was limited, and it mainly had start-up beauty companies. They had start-up companies focused on cannabis skincare oil, false eyelashes, and etc. I did NOT spot any big beauty companies like Sephora, Naked Palette and etc. Also, the influencers that showed up to this event or panels were mainly Instagram based, and mainly known for modelling content. I didn't see anyone YouTube famous beauty guru here, but it was nonetheless still amazing because some of the influencer guest were well spoken and knowledgeable about branding. [Anime Impulse] If you purchase the Expo ticket, you also have access to this. This is a smaller venue compare to Anime Expo but you do have a decent amount of artists, anime merchants and cosplayer. Since this is small event, you will NOT see big Japanese animation companies like crunchy roll, aniplex or Bandai. One thing I did like about this con is that they had a stage for anime performances; I was able to see a group called Hikari Idols. [Food] The amount of food booths here is 10x the size of 626 Night Market. [Overall] They have more to offer in food, entertainment and space. I honestly prefer this over 626 Night Market! read more

This event was fun! My family and I had a blast. This was my first time attending the expo. We got there early in the morning (at 10am because we heard it gets real crowded later in the day). First off, don't forget your $1 coupons! The admission ticket is $9 per person, $8 with the coupon. We received them in the mail, but they are also available at various business in San Gabriel Valley, like Ranch 99. Parking is real easy. It's $10 to park and there's a tram to take you to the expo. I recommend walking over. It is literally across the parking and you can get there walking in 5 minutes versus waiting 10-15 mins for the tram. I noticed that the people taking the tram were carrying luggages and luggages with them. I wasn't sure why, but realized why when I was inside the expo. There were many, many swag bags at each of the booths! Food: There are many samples for you to try at several of the buildings. These range from bbq meat, snacks, a grip load of coffee and tea, rice, instant noodles, dumplings, etc. Some of these items are available for purchase. I don't shop for food as much, but my brother who frequently shops at these places confirmed that they were cheaper at the expo than at the grocery stores. This explains those luggages I'm seeing. Although, if I return another time, I don't think I'd bring a luggage. I'd prefer to attend the expo for the experience than getting a good deal on soy sauce or a box of cookies. Outside, there's a big area for small food establishments. You'll notice quickly that they're stores you've probably been to in San Gabriel Valley. These include Quickly, Ten Ren's, etc. The area gets real crowded. Shows: Many of these were real entertaining. I really enjoyed watching them. There's definitely a recurring theme. There were a variety of martial art schools there to showcase their students' talents (Shaolin Temple were the most impress, to me). There are multiple stages here, I was told that these groups rotate throughout the day, so you end up catching the same show if you're moving around. I definitely recommend that you check them out as part of your experience at the expo. Booths: Prizes, prizes, prizes. I can say this because I'm Chinese. We asians love free stuff! Many of these require that you sign up to play their games (these are the ones I avoid because I'm annoyed of spam mail). However, you can pick up lots of empty red envelopes. Perfect timing since Chinese New Year is just around the corner! This was my first time attending the expo and I'm sure I will continue to return. We had a blast the entire time. I will definitely recommend this to anyone looking to try something new. However, be warned that it gets real crowded during the afternoon, it's like the entire San Gabriel Valley arrived for free prizes and good food. read more

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I love coming to the Asian Expo. The first time I came was several years back with my family on a Saturday. It was super crowded and I remember getting a bunch of free stuff. I remember buying a huge container of soy sauce and a couple of other sauces and then having to lug it around the rest of the day just because it was super cheap! The next year I came, I brought my now husband with my family. I remember my husband was overwhelmed by the amount of stuff going on, the crowds, the pushing/shoving, etc. and he thought we were crazy to put ourselves through that just for free stuff :P. This year, I came with just my husband on a Sunday. The crowds were slightly less and more tolerable. The vendors had some decent deals, but I felt like there were less vendors than the previous years. The food stands were of course pricey, and as usual, the lamb skewer stand had a super long line. I'd recommend coming at least once or twice in your lifetime to experience the craziness that occurs. read more

January 2016: Everything went up by $1.00 - Parking is now $11, and Admission for an Adult is $11 - however, if you have the $1.00 off coupon, then it's $10.00. Luckily, the courtesy Tram ride to the Expo is still free, and they come pretty quick (within 5-10 mins). Despite the prices going up, I still like coming here for a particular vendor (Sorry, I won't tell you who that vendor is, however, they are located in Building 4). Once you arrive, you pay for admission, and once 10am hits, they will allow guests to start coming in. The Best Building, and the Main Attraction is Building 4 - the Business Vendors. That's where all the popular business vendors are, especially, the ones that offer freebies with their spin the wheel prizes. Just to name a few: East West Bank, Wells Fargo, Cathay Bank, My Law Firm, Scott Warmuth Law Firm, Forest Lawn, Rose Hills, Toyota, Various Asian Spas, etc. Also, they have performances in there (usually the center floor for dance, karate troops), and of course, other dance performances or cooking performances. Two Things to Know About Entering Building 4: First, The elderly women, especially, are aggressive when it comes to spinning the wheel prizes. Just make sure they don't try to cheat by cutting in line, lol! Secondly, THICK girls beware: Those Asian spa employees are really aggressive, and will come after you like white on rice with their "fat" busting treatments. Usually a polite decline works, but if there's some that are really aggressive, please do not hesitate to put them in their places. Once you bark and make them look like an a$$, they back off, lol! They also have Buildings 5, 6 and 7 - those vendors are food vendors, vendors who just sell their items or vendors with pet adoptions (mainly cats - they rarely bring puppies/dogs to adopt anymore). Those buildings are alright, but Building 4 is the busiest one. They also have vendors selling outside the buildings, and of course the outside food court. Food court - the same vendors you usually see at the 626 Night Market. The only Food Court vendor I like are the ones that serve the takoyaki balls. I like getting their $8 plate, which is their takoyaki combo (Ponzu and Goma) that comes with 8 takoyaki balls, and a side of Japanese coleslaw. Overall, the Asian Expo has gone down a lot. If you've been to these Expos long enough, you'll notice the steady vendors that were once here all the time, are no longer here, and that some of the promos are steadily declining. It use to be super pack, but now, you can actually wade through it easily. Despite it all, I still like coming here for whatever freebies are offered, and of course, as long as my favorite vendor is here, I'll always come back :) read more

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