A full night of food and incredible art: Chinatown Night Market is coming to NYC this May

Summer festival season is just around the corner. Each year, open-air markets support local artists, musicians, and food vendors across all five boroughs. On May 20th, the art and food festival will take place in Chinatown, Manhattan. 

Think!Chinatown, an intergenerational non-profit, announced the start of the new cultural festival Chinatown Night Market. The market invites guests to enjoy art installations, learn about traditional crafts and taste delicious treats. The festival will begin at 8 pm at Forsyth Plaza near the Manhattan Bridge. 

The first Chinatown Night Market, which evolved from Chinatown Nights, will open with a choreographed performance by the Japanese drumming ensemble Soh Daiko. The festival will also feature Chinese folk crafts, including paper cutting, sugar painting, and braised straw figurines created by local artisans. 

Cambodia Now, Choy Commons, Momo Delight, Pho Master, Twisted Potato, Xiang Mini Cakes, Kopitiam, and Alimama will appear at the festival. According to Think!Chinatown, the list of vendors is still expanding!

In addition, the night market will include live performances from the Coalition of Asian Pacific Americans to honor the Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. Think!Chinatown invites you to check out their website to make sure you do not miss any updates and event details. 

The organization partnered with Asian Americans for Equality, Urban Design Forum, and Van Alen Institute to host five night festivals throughout this summer. 

Resources:

“Chinatown Nights has now become CHINATOWN NIGHT MARKET,” (Think!Chinatown, 2022)

“A Chinatown night market is coming to NYC this summer,” by Shaye Weaver (Time Out, 2022)

“A Chinatown Night Market Is Bringing Food & Art to NYC This Summer,” by Chris Mench (Thrillist, 2022)