The Chinatown Night Market bows out with its last-ever fest this Friday
Since 2021, the market has been a beacon (literally—they've had to bring their own lights) for community connection and pandemic recovery. What began as 'Chinatown Nights,' a small program of cultural performances and artisan vendors, blossomed into a full-fledged night market drawing more than 6,000 visitors per event. Food stalls, folk artists and local businesses turned the plaza into a bustling showcase for Chinatown's culinary and creative spirit.
But after four seasons, the conditions on Forsyth Plaza have become too tough to work around. Broken lights, lack of bathrooms or running water and safety concerns have made it impossible to host large-scale gatherings. 'To light up the Night Market stage, we are literally strapping on our own lights to plaza lampposts that have not been working for years,' said Yin Kong, director of Think!Chinatown. The group has long advocated for infrastructure upgrades, but without them, the team is pivoting its energy toward other public art and cultural programming.
Still, they're going out in style. Friday's send-off features performances by singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist treya lam (at 8:40pm, 9:40pm and 10:40pm) and a soundtrack of Canto and Mandopop records spun by resident DJ YiuYiu. Vendors will sling everything from stinky tofu and Filipino skewers to paper-cut portraits and dragon-phoenix calligraphy. Regulars like Grand Tea & Imports, Yu and Me Books and Malaysia Beef Jerky will join cult favorites such as Xiang Mini Cake, Saucy Bao and Senbei NYC.
The market's closure is the end of a chapter in Chinatown's revitalization story. Over the past four years, Think!Chinatown's work has helped spark a wave of Asian food festivals citywide and given countless AAPI-owned businesses a platform to grow. With local merchants now on steadier footing, the nonprofit is ready to focus on its core mission: intergenerational cultural projects and art activations that keep Chinatown's traditions thriving.
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