Queens Night Market Update & Photos

Organizers tell me that estimates are that around 20,000 people attended the first Queens Night Market, held this past Saturday. They also tell me it will be open every Saturday in May and then on select Saturdays for the rest of the season, and it will be bigger this Saturday both in terms of physical size and the number of vendors.
See my previous post for information on location and hours: Queens Night Market information

Here are some photos from the first one, held this past Saturday:

Queens International Night Begins Tonight!

I am so happy they've made this happen...  If any of you go tonight, please email me your photos at edgeofthecity@gmail.com and I'll post them to the site. Unfortunately, I won't be able to make this first one.

Here are all the details:

QUEENS INTERNATIONAL NIGHT MARKET LAUNCHES TONIGHT!

Family-Friendly Outdoor Marketplace Will Showcase Diverse Food, Art,  Merchandise, and Performances from New York City’s Cultural Tapestry

The Queens International Night Market will debut at 6:00 PM on Saturday, April 25th in the parking lot of the New York Hall of Science (47-01 111th Street, Corona), part of Flushing Meadows Corona Park. Vendors will be on hand selling a diverse array of culturally authentic street foods, art, and merchandise. Small-scale performances of music and dance will also be part of the excitement. There’s no admission fee and the event goes on rain or shine. April 25th  is the first of many Saturdays this Spring and Summer that the Night Market will operate.

Night markets have long been a fixture in many parts of the world. In recent years, they’ve become tremendously popular in cities like Philadelphia, San Diego, LA, Toronto, and Vancouver. Queens, as one of the most diverse places in the world--and the Lonely Planet’s top US tourist destination for 2015--is an ideal place for an open air market with an international theme.

The Queens International Night Market aims to be uniquely affordable for both visitors and vendors. Organizers are charging relatively small fees to rent a stall at the market, and hoping to make up the difference through sponsorships. Food vendors are being encouraged to keep their prices low to encourage visitors to sample as many treats as possible.

Arepas,  Burmese street food, and  Chinese crepes,  are just a few of goodies that will be for sale.  “Opening night will be a little smaller than what the Night Market will eventually grow to become,” said John Wang, who’s been planning the project for over a year. “But we hope people will come out and support the vendors who’ve signed on to be part of our very first evening.”

The location is just a few blocks away from the 111th Street stop on the 7 train. Parking is limited and visitors are urged to use public transportation. The Night Market is still accepting applications from interested vendors and sponsors on its website: http://QueensNightMarket.com

More Information: Queens International Night Market

Since so many readers have expressed an interest in the proposed Queens International Night Market here's some more information:

Night markets have long been popular in parts of Asia, Latin America, Africa, and Europe and have been successfully emerging in many North American cities recently. The Queens International Night Market will be a gateway for exploring the many cultures of the City’s (and the world’s) most diverse borough. Over a hundred vendors will offer foods, art, handicrafts and other merchandise.  A small performance space will feature dance and music inspired by cultures found throughout the City.

Attracting great vendors who can share culturally authentic food, art, and other products is a key goal for the market. In order to accomplish this, rather than profiting off of vendor fees, the market’s organizers hope to subsidize vendors fees by using  money raised through Kickstarter, and eventually through sponsorships, to offset the costs of renting a venue and paying for permits, insurance, electricity and other services.

Backers who contribute to the Kickstarter campaign can choose from among rewards such as food vouchers, t-shirts and tote bags with the market’s logo, recognition as sponsors and much more. And they’ll know that each contribution is helping small vendors share their passions and stories with the public.

John Wang is a former lawyer turned social entrepreneur who’s spearheading the Queens International Night Market. He grew up visiting night markets on family trips to Asia and says, “Whenever I travel, seeking out local markets is the first thing I do upon arriving, and the last thing I do before leaving. It’s my favorite way to experience culture.”

For more information about the Queens Night Market, visit www.QueensNightMarket.com

Queens International Night Market Seeks Support

A kickstarter campaign has been created to bring a Queens International Night Market to NYC.

Here's some more information:

Night Markets are all over Asia, in parts of Africa, Latin America, and Western Europe. They are increasingly and successfully popping up in North American cities, including LA, San Francisco, San Diego, Chicago, Philadelphia, Vancouver, and Toronto.
It’s about time NYC got its own night market!

What: The Queens International Night Market will be a large, family-friendly open-air night market in Queens, featuring over 100 independent vendors selling merchandise, art, and food and featuring small-scale cultural performances and entertainment, all celebrating the rich cultural diversity and heritage of NYC and Queens.
When: Saturdays, 6PM-Midnight, from April to October 2015.
Where: Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Queens – Ideally at the New York Hall of Science for most Saturdays.
Visitors: We will attract thousands of visitors of all ages and demographics and provide them the opportunity to shop, eat and, most importantly, meet members of the community, hear their stories, and learn about their heritage and cultural influences, as represented by their art, merchandise, or food.

Kickstarter Page: Queens International Night Market

Website: Queens Night Market