Asian Roots Collective Announces ARC WORLD Presented by Google Pixel Is Coming Home This September, Featuring A Celebrity Basketball Game Co-Organized By Simu Liu and Jeremy Lin The one-day festival returns to its hometown of Markham on September 12 for a celebration of Asian culture, community, and excellence.
July 31, 2026 [Markham, Ontario] - One of Toronto's most immersive summer festivals is going back to its roots this September. Hosted by Asian Roots Collective (ARC) and presented by Google Pixel, ARC WORLD returns to Markham - the city where the non-profit (formerly CCYAA) was first formed - for a day celebrating Asian culture, creativity, and excellence, highlighted by its signature celebrity basketball game co-organized by Canadian superstar Simu Liu and NBA legend Jeremy Lin.
"ARC WORLD has always been bigger than any one event," says Simu Liu, co-founder of ARC HOOPS, presented by Google Pixel. "It's about celebrating who we are, creating opportunities to connect and showing what's possible when our community comes together - returning to where it all began makes this year's event especially meaningful.”
Building on the success of 2025, the festival will again feature five exciting areas of programming: ● ARC HOOPS, presented by Google Pixel: Watch Jeremy Lin, Simu Liu, and a star-studded lineup go head-to-head on the court to raise funds for ARC and the Jeremy Lin Foundation. ● ARC NEXT, presented by TD: A lively talent showcase and variety show featuring some of our best, internationally known, homegrown talent.
● ARC EATS: A curated Asian food festival featuring local chefs and tastemakers. Attendees can indulge in the diverse flavours of the Asian diaspora as the city’s most beloved Asian restaurants, food pop-ups, and chefs, including Trevor Lui, Christopher Siu (Masterchef Canada 7 winner), and Nuit Regular of PAI Toronto, come together to share the stories and vibrant flavours of their heritage with the community.
● ARC MARKET, presented by TurboTax Canada: Shop a unique lineup of local Asian-owned brands, creators, and small businesses and learn how these innovators turned their cultural roots into thriving businesses.
● ARC TALKS: Listen to prominent Asian leaders across various industries take the stage in an intimate setting as they tell their stories and share their messages on representation, culture, and what it means to be unapologetically Asian.
"Representation matters, and when young people can see themselves reflected in athletes, creators and leaders, it expands what they believe they can achieve," says Jeremy Lin, ARC Ambassador. "Whether it's on the court, through the festival or in the conversations that happen throughout the day, I'm so proud to be part of an event that continues to invest in the next generation."
What began nearly three decades ago as a Markham-based basketball initiative has evolved into a powerhouse for cultural representation. ARC WORLD: Homecoming is a celebration of that journey. The festival honours its founding community while championing an expanded mandate to showcase Asian excellence - not just on the court, but across food, entertainment, entrepreneurship, comedy, music, and more.
The main festival will take place at the Hilton Markham, while the ARC Hoops celebrity game will be held at the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre in Scarborough. Tickets to ARC WORLD, presented by Google Pixel, are on sale now at asianrootscollective.org/arcworld.
See photo gallery from ARC World 2025 here.
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About Asian Roots Collective (ARC)
Previously known as the Canadian Chinese Youth Athletic Association (CCYAA), ARC is a 100% volunteer-run, community-driven organization dedicated to celebrating and empowering the next generation of culture-defining Asians through high-quality programs and events in sports, arts, youth programs, food, culture, and entertainment. The non-profit organization aims to showcase Asian excellence and invite the larger community to discover Asian culture and foster connections. Originally founded in 1995 as an organization rooted in basketball, its mission has grown to reflect the diversity and dynamism of the Asian experience. From its Jeremy Lin basketball camps to limited-edition collabs and cultural conventions, ARC creates a platform and opportunities for Asian excellence to be celebrated. For more information, visit www.asianrootscollective.org.
About the Jeremy Lin Foundation
Jeremy Lin founded the Jeremy Lin Foundation in 2011 to support overlooked AAPI (Asian American Pacific Islander) and cross-racial youth programs through narrative change, community empowerment, and cross-racial solidarity. The Foundation partners with grassroots programs deeply embedded in the community that serve low-income youth and
address root cause sustainable solutions to systemic inequities. 100% of the proceeds donated go to supporting community rooted non-profit organizations that are making an impact in the lives of youth and their communities. www.jeremylinfoundation.org/
Media Contact:
Sneha Lohtia, Craft Public Relations
sneha@craftpublicrelations.com | 905-867-3851
