Lucky Dumpling Market, an annual festival favourite, a program highlight, and an integral part of Adelaide’s OzAsia Festival is back!

The spirit of OzAsia is being kept alive in Adelaide this year, despite COVID, with Lucky Dumpling Market being one of SA’s first food festivals since the pandemic hit with closures on March 16.

The first Lucky Dumpling Market was held in 2017, as the new food, bar and entertainment hub for OzAsia Festival. This year it is keeping that title and will also be the only physical event for the festival.

The Lucky Dumpling Market, presented by Fringe Hub, Gluttony, has a brand new location at Elder Park, allowing for a larger physical space to ensure for social distancing.

Joint Event Director, Daniel Michael said: “While you’re eating and drinking your way around Asia, you’ll be able to enjoy free live entertainment.”

The market will boast 17 food stalls, including:

Bao+ (Taiwanese)
Bubble Bus (bubble tea)
Chef Kim (Korean)
Disco Donuts (donuts)
Enfes Delights (Turkish)
FIRE by Soi 38 (Thai)
Forage Supply Co (vegan)
GANG GANG (burgers)
Jalan Jalan (Malaysian)
Phat Head (dumplings)
Ragi’s Spicery (Indian)
Shibui Dessert Bar(dessert)
Soza’s (Sri Lankan)
The Filipino Project (Filipino)
The Market Black (coffee)
TMR Dumpling (Vietnamese)
Toly Gourmet (Vietnamese)

Mr Michael said: “We will offer three bars across the market that will showcase great South Australian products from Yalumba and Coopers and we will also run our famous Sake Hut.
“We cater for everyone with vegan and gluten-free dishes available, as well as non-alcoholic drinks including bottled water, soft drinks, juices, bubble tea and coffee.”

Australia’s leading contemporary arts festival, OzAsia Festival actual cultural program has a new look and feel this year, presenting an array of virtual and online offerings in light of COVID-19 restrictions. This presents an exciting spin on the festival and ensures that everyone can be involved.

The online events will feature OzAsia Talks, a talk series featuring artists and arts professionals from across Asia. The series will be available for viewing via OzAsia Festival’s Facebook page

Mr Michael said: “The Lucky Dumpling Market will be a physical event hub and a destination we hope people will visit to get their Asian food and entertainment fix.”

In previous seasons, the entertainment at the market was programmed by the Adelaide Festival Centre’s OzAsia Festival team.

Mr Michael said: “Lucky Dumpling Market is seeking expressions of interest from performers to entertain on stage at the Market.

“In keeping with the values of Lucky Dumpling Market, acts that celebrate cultures of Asia are particularly desirable. People of Asian identity or heritage are encouraged to apply and these are paid slots.”

COVID Safe measures for the markets include card-only purchasing, contact tracing records via QR code, hand sanitizing stations, frequent sanitizing of communal touchpoints by cleaning staff, and queueing management.

Lucky Dumpling Market joint event director, Elena Kirschbaum said: “We think that South Australians will be very keen to get out and about in Adelaide, taking in the beautiful surrounds of the riverbank precinct, whilst enjoying some delicious food and drink in the great outdoors, and celebrating the rich multiculturalism of our community.

“Lucky Dumpling Market also represents an ideal opportunity for us to establish sensible COVID Safe measures at our events and introduce our patrons to new styles of public event design and processes.

Lucky Dumpling Market 2020 will have the same opening hours as in previous seasons: Tuesday to Friday – 4.30pm until late; Saturday and Sunday – midday until late (closed Mondays). Head to luckydumplingmarket.com and @luckydumplingmarket for more information.