Event
Join us for a night of celebration with food vendors, performances (dance performances, music performances and more) as well as hand-crafted trinkets for sale while supporting local AAPI businesses. 🙂 Please RSVP, it helps all our vendors determine how much products/goods to bring so they don't run out. Kindly note that while Givebutter (the third party ticketing platform) prompts you for donation, it is completely optional and will not result in any additional perks/benefits during the event. We thank you for your generosity and support if you decide to donate towards our cause! Street parking is free after 6pm and there is a large parking garage across the street from The Circ Bar.
Story
Thanks to everyone for joining us for the previous (and 1st Ann Arbor Asian Night Market). This is our official event page for the next event, Lights After Dark by Marupo ACTS. Run it back!
Date: Friday, October 17
Time: 5PM - 9PM
Location: 210 S 1st St, Ann Arbor, MI 48104 (King & White event venue)
Additional info: 18+ event due to proximity to bars, however, all planned event activities are family-friendly. No entrance fee, but donations appreciated!
Across Asia, fall harvest festivals such as the Mid-Autumn Festival (中秋节, zhongqiujie / 추석, chuseok) and Diwali (दिवाली) are celebrations spent together with loved ones gathered around food, drinks, desserts, crafts (especially involving lights), and other festivities. Please join us for our version of the Mid-Autumn Festival/Diwali held in downtown Ann Arbor, which we're naming Lights After Dark after the shared theme of lights across Asian cultures. There will be delicious food and handmade items for purchase from local AAPI vendors, live music, and the opportunity to participate in a lantern-making event!
Kindly note that while Givebutter (the third party ticketing platform) prompts you for donation, it is completely optional and will not result in any additional perks/benefits during the event.
We thank you for your generosity and support if you decide to donate towards our cause!
Here's our core volunteer team. You'll see some new faces and some returners:
- (Ian) is a food business owner & engineer with lots of experience cooking for large groups, such as being a vendor in events like the Ypsi Food Fest and Ann Arbor Asian Night Market.
- (Kelly) is a Chinese-American chiropractor from West Michigan with a serious passion for food. She enjoys exploring recipes, understanding cooking techniques, and is always down to travel for a memorable meal.
- (Lauren) is a Taiwanese-American lifelong resident of Ann Arbor, a pursuer of a wide variety of creative arts including photography and graphic design, and an avid dessert-consumer.
- (Bennett) is a foodie, former AAFM/Eastern vendor, passionate about AAPI food and culture scene especially around Ann Arbor. Anime enthusiast.
But most important, we have a team of passionate self-driven individuals, who all want to host an exciting, fun event showcasing the cultures we love. A lot of us joined the Marupo ACTS team after the 1st Ann Arbor Asian Night Market, and we've got ideas on how to improve the experience of both attendees and vendors.
We know there'll be some hiccups and areas for improvements, but we are confident this will be the next of many recurring AAPI Food events based in Ann Arbor for years to come!
-Yours Truly
Marupo ACTS Team
Confirmed Participants (as of Sept 30 2025):
Food vendors:
- Chi Fan Le - Chi Fan Le creates nutritious, homestyle Chinese dishes inspired by diverse regional flavors, served through pop-ups, catering, and cooking experiences with a focus on sustainability
- Qilin Dumplings - Qilin Dumplings is dedicated to authentic handmade dumplings crafted with quality ingredients and warm hospitality, offering a welcoming space to enjoy traditional flavors
- Friends Kitchen - Friends Kitchen is a pop-up restaurant serving fresh, rotating Asian dishes every Sunday—bringing new flavors and fun to your week
- Samosa House - Samosa House serves handmade samosas crafted with love, honoring family traditions and sharing a rich legacy through every bite
- + More to come...
Artisans:
- JoobyRumi - is a self-taught jewelry artist creating handcrafted pieces that reflect her journey, passion, and creative spirit
- Platypus Works - Platypus Works creates thoughtful, eco-friendly crafts through sewing and upcycling, blending creativity with sustainability to support a healthier ecosystem
- After May Co - After May Co. hand-pours eco-friendly, high-quality candles with natural wooden wicks—offering cozy, mindful warmth that’s kind to the planet
- Cherry's Nail Studio - Cherry's Nail Studio crafts custom press-on nails and provides professional gel-nail services in Ann Arbor — always stylish, unique, and designed to reflect your personal vibe
- Artsy Julian - Artsy Julian is a young artist sharing whimsical fiber art with the Ann Arbor-Ypsi community, blending crochet, embroidery, and beading to celebrate the Mid-Autumn season and her Asian heritage
- JustcutebyIris - Justcutebyiris creates whimsical needle feltings and illustrations that celebrate nature’s tiniest joys—from chubby bees and curious opossums to gentle snails and playful frogs
- + More to come...
Performers:
- + More to come...
Confirmed Participants:
- YOU :D
Our Sponsors (Sponsorship Interest: Please email sponsor@marupo.org):
Interested in getting involved?
- Volunteer Interest (day-of event and in general): Please email volunteer@marupo.org