March 23, 2017 By Hannah Wulkan
The Queens Night Market, known for its wide selection of food from every corner of the world, will reopen next month with two special “sneak peek” events.
The Market, which hosts nearly a hundred vendors outside the Queens Hall of Science in Flushing Meadows Corona Park every Saturday during the warmer months, will return on April 22.
The first two markets on April 22 and 29, however, will charge a $5 admission price in an effort at crowd control, and tickets must be bought online in advance. The Night Market will be free to the public every Saturday beginning May 6.
The admission cost for the first two nights aims to alleviate traffic, capacity issues, and any disruption to the surrounding community from the opening nights as they saw a huge rush of people in past years, organizers said.
However, organizers plan to maintain the Night Market as a free event in the long-term.
“The mission of the Night Market has always been to cater to and attract the broadest possible demographic, both in our visitors and vendors,” said Night Market Organizer John Wang. “I think the last two years have shown that affordability and diverse representation are two of the most important factors, and those have been hard-wired into the event ever since it was just an inkling of an idea.”
Because the Night Market is a community-oriented event, half the proceeds from ticket sales will be donated to three local charities—the New York Immigration Coalition, the New York Police and Fire Widows’ and Children’s Benefit Fund, and the Alliance for Flushing Meadows Corona Park, organizers announced.
The Night Market will host vendors selling a huge variety of international cuisines, including Burmese, Nigerian, Valencian and Macedonian foods, among many others. The cost of food will be capped at $5 per item for most dishes, though some vendors will have permission to sell specific items for $6.
It will also host various local art and merchandise vendors selling jewelry, crafts, apparel and more.
“One of the most remarkable things about New York City is its diversity – and this is embodied through immigrants and the many businesses they create that add to this city’s vibrancy. The Queens International Night Market is just one more example of the New York that we know and love; one that values inclusion, dignity, and respect for immigrant contributions,” said Steven Choi, the executive director of the New York Immigration Coalition.
To buy tickets to the two “sneak peek” nights, visit http://queensnightmarket.com/.
Featured Events
