The MAHJ Sparks Community and Creativity in Austin Through Mahjong
Written by Jessie Wang | July 8, 2026
Mahjong, a four-player tile game, was first invented in 19th century China. Centuries later, mahjong has seen a resurgence in popularity: Yelp data shows searches for mahjong clubs are up 4,400%, with mahjong lessons up by 800% compared to last year.
The MAHJ, an organization based in Austin, is a part of this Mahjong renaissance. The MAHJ is interested in exploring how intentionally designed experiences can spark creativity and connection. The MAHJ tested their thesis on Saturday, May 23, 2026 at Distribution Hall in Austin, hosting a community event in a collaboration with Asian Season ATX, an Austin Asian-American art collective.
“Mahjong is our invitation for bringing people together through creativity, culture, play, and connection,” said Tiffany Chan, local Austin artist and Lead Event Coordinator & Experience Designer.
Photos by Tyler Marlow
The event included a mahjong parlor, a tea lounge, immersive installations, creative activations, live DJ sets, a stamp rally program, and a night market featuring local small businesses hosted by The Lucky Market Festival, as well as an art gallery and a sari-sari market hosted by Asian Season ATX.
“We welcomed roughly 800–1,000 people throughout the evening, with all of our mahjong parlor tables full from start to finish,” said Chan. “More than 60 AANHPI artists, small businesses, and creators collaborated to make the experience what it was.”
“Asian Americans are less than ten percent of the Austin population, and we feel that it is very important for us to try to uplift every Asian artist, to give everybody some sort of spotlight and also just show people like, hey, there's a place for you to come,” said Andy Dun, co-founder of Asian Season ATX.
The event did exactly that for attendee Ly Na Nguyen.
“I just moved to Austin, and haven't been able to find an Asian community in Austin, so I thought this was an awesome way to build community and meet people and see people who look like you,” said Nguyen.
Photos by Tyler Marlow
Throughout the night, almost all the mahjong tables were full, with volunteers teaching participants how to play the game.
“Mahjong is deeply woven into my memories of family, celebration, and togetherness,” Chan said. “What makes mahjong so special is that it's more than a game; it's a reason to sit down, connect across generations, build relationships, and spend meaningful time together.”
Creativity was present in not only the artwork, but also the food: Bark & Brew Matcha sold a popular mango sticky rice matcha, Oribello’s Bar and Kitchen featured an ube tres leches cake, and Small Batch Heaven incorporated mochi into their desserts.
Many vendors at the event drew on their personal and cultural backgrounds as motivations to participate at the event.
“I wanted to be part of this event because I love being surrounded by creative, passionate people who are building something meaningful,” said Kirtana Nakka, founder of House of Wick, an Austin small-batch candle brand. Candles and scents were connected to her early personal experiences, and she aims for her products to make people feel at home.
“I love turning creativity into food that brings people joy,” said Nat Sawatphadungkij, founder of Nat in Your Kitchen, a Thai and sushi catering and personal chef business based in Texas. “Spaces like this are important because they celebrate Asian culture, support local creatives, and create opportunities for artists, makers, and chefs to inspire one another while building community together.”
Photos by Tyler Marlow
As far as what’s next for the MAHJ, Chan noted that this event was the first prototype, and hopes to continue iterating and imagining new possibilities for how we gather, connect, create, and care for one another.
Support the MAHJ in Austin, TX!
The MAHJ
Instagram: @themahjatx
Website: themahj.com
