Popular Asian festival in Charlotte apologizes after fire marshal shut it down
A popular Asian food festival in Charlotte apologized to the community after the fire marshal shut the event down early on Friday, the first of the event’s three days.
Panda Fest on North Community House Road in Ballantyne, which shut down at 7 p.m. Friday, reopened on Saturday.
“We sincerely apologize for the unexpected early cancellation of yesterday’s event,” Panda Fest organizers said in a statement obtained by The Charlotte Observer Saturday.
“We understand that this was frustrating, and we’re truly sorry for the inconvenience,” organizers said. “Unfortunately, we had to wrap up due to outdoor cooking operations that needed adjustments to meet additional code requirements.”
Organizers said on Instagram that they worked with officials to resolve the unspecified issue and were allowed to reopen Saturday.
Friday’s tickets good on Saturday or Sunday
Friday tickets were valid for entry Saturday or Sunday, according to the statement emailed to ticket buyers and the Observer by festival organizers.
”If your ticket was already scanned on Friday, we cannot reissue the welcome gifts (to ensure fairness to all attendees),” organizers said. If a buyer couldn’t attend either day and preferred a refund, they had to reply to the email with their request.
Organizers promised to process refunds in 10 business days.
“We appreciate your support and understanding and look forward to seeing you this weekend,” organizers said.
Panda Fest closure draws reaction on social media
The closure drew reactions of anger and disappointment on social media.
“The event organizers should be ASHAMED of themselves!” a person posted on TikTok with a video of the long lines waiting to enter the festival. “This was seriously the longest line anyone had ever seen.”
A man on Instagram said his daughter “was so excited to go to this and we were only inside for a couple minutes. I’m going to have to get a refund for this because I can’t go on Sunday.”
This story was originally published September 14, 2025 at 5:00 AM.