Chinatown-based non-profit Think!Chinatown is back for their fourth year of their summer series Chinatown Night Market (橋頭夜市), a market that showcases the best of Chinatown–and it’s returning this Friday, July 26th!
Formerly called Chinatown Nights, Chinatown Night Market is an open-air cultural festival that features Chinatown-focused art and programming along with local street food vendors at the iconic gateway of the Manhattan Bridge at Forsyth Plaza.
And their next event is taking place this Friday, July 26th, from 8 pm – 11:45 pm.
An incredible lineup of new and returning food, artisan, and cultural goods vendors will take to the plaza, offering everything from tasty eats to traditional folk art crafts like paper cutting art, sugar painting, and braided straw figures.
Vendor highlights, which are Chinatown favorites, include but are not limited to:
- Bánh Mì Cô Út
- Grand Tea & Imports
- Kabisera
- The Little One
- Sugarcane Daddy
- Xi Ne Du (Bo Zai Gao 钵仔糕)
- Xiang Mini Cake
- Yan Wo Dou Bun
Featured traditional folk arts include: Dough Figurines by Xun Ye, Braided Straw Figurines by Meifang Shi, Sugar Paintings by Yan Sui, Paper Cut Portraits by Ming Liang Lu, Framed Calligraphy by Mr Huang Jianting, and Traditional Paper Cut Art by Ling Tang.
The night market will feature culturally-relevant musical performances at the Upper Plaza, including the art of Chinese dance from the New York Chinese Cultural Center, whose mission is to deepen the understanding and appreciation of Chinese culture through the arts in the global and local communities.
Performances are intermittent throughout the night, taking place at approximately 8:45, 9:45, and 10:45 pm.
Plus, Think!Chinatown’s resident DJ YiuYiu 瑤瑤 will also provide a soundtrack to the evening, spinning beloved Canto/Mandopop records throughout the night.
Chinatown Night Market came about as a way to drive more people to Chinatown to support the local businesses, bring more foot traffic into Chinatown in the evenings, and provide a safe space for people to gather at the under-used public plazas.
This open-air cultural festival is free to the public, though those who wish to attend are asked to RSVP to help the T!C team plan for the event.
T!C Director Yin Kong stated:
Chinatown Night Market is much more than just a street fair. It’s a stake in the ground to proudly claim space for our community in the face of encroaching gentrification…These Night Markets are not only an opportunity for our local vendors and artisans to make money, but also important moments to come together and celebrate our culture here in Chinatown.
This will be the second of three Night Markets throughout this summer, and you can learn more here.
P.S. for more fun things to do in Manhattan’s Chinatown check out our full guide to the neighborhood!