Jackson Heights was transformed into a lively celebration of Himalayan food and culture on Sunday, September 13, as thousands of New Yorkers crowded Diversity Plaza and the surrounding streets for the 14th Annual Momo Crawl. The five-hour festival brought together 32 Tibetan, Nepali, and South Asian restaurants and food vendors, offering visitors $1 momos in an extraordinary variety of styles and flavors. Organizers say more than 8,000 people attended last year, and this year’s turnout again filled the plaza and surrounding streets despite rainy weather earlier in the day.
What made the festival especially striking was the diversity of the crowd. Tibetan and Nepali community members came out to celebrate their food and heritage, but they were joined by people from throughout Queens, Manhattan, and other parts of New York City—including longtime momo enthusiasts, families, young people, friends, first-time visitors, and New Yorkers who had never tasted momo before. One attendee traveled from Murray Hill in Manhattan, while others described the event as a chance to explore different restaurants and experience Himalayan culture. The streets reflected the multicultural character of Jackson Heights itself, with people of different ages, ethnic backgrounds, and cultures sharing food and enjoying the festivities together.
The popularity of the event was unmistakable in the long lines outside participating restaurants. At some locations, lines extended more than a block down the sidewalk as hungry visitors waited for their $1 dumplings; social media reports also described multiple block-long lines following the parade. But the wait was part of the experience. Diversity Plaza became a stage for live music, traditional Tibetan and Himalayan dancing, and cultural performances, with young dancers performing traditional songs while crowds gathered around to watch. The result was much more than a food festival—it was a colorful community gathering where food, music, dance, and cultural pride brought thousands of people together in the heart of Jackson Heights.
