Dozens, even hundreds of locals unfailingly turn up at dusk, dotting the swerving pathway into the hidden market. Together, they make up a steady march into the foray of vendors and performances that occur every Friday through Sunday until the late hours of the night.
It mattered little that this years bummer summer has not often provided weather encouraging large crowds to turn up. On the bad nights, between 10,000 and 15,000 people navigated the rain to enjoy the Summer Night Markets popular food and entertainment; the good nights have seen close to double that. With 20,000 visitors per night on average, the market is seeing numbers on par with last year, an impressive feat with the weather differences taken into account.
I think its an accumulation of a lot of the hard work thats happened over the years, said Liza Cheung, operations manager for Lions Communications Inc., which runs the Summer Night Market.
Treks to the Summer Night Market, now in its fourth year, have become something of a tradition for many locals but out-of-towners and the wider world are taking notice. Word has been getting out about its success, even drawing in tourists from Europe.
It has recently been named among the top night markets in the world, which organizers consider a nod to the fact that it is uniquely multicultural and incorporates food, shopping, entertainment and a childrens play zone into one single location. Aside from the mentions, the market can also boast being Canadas largest night market.
All of that really differentiates it from a lot of the markets out there, said Cheung.
This year, the event intended to grow its multicultural roots to include food and vendors representing more countries. And among the roughly 60 food carts, that emphasis is particularly obvious with the introduction of a cart from Italy. The vendors chocolate-dipped strawberries stood out among the rows of barbequed squid a crowd favourite and tofu, octopus, bubble tea, mini donuts and potato twists. Korean, Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese and Japanese foods are among those represented.
The food area of the market is acknowledged as being the main draw, and boy, is it.
Families, friends and young lovebirds are packed like sardines from 8 p.m. on as hungry visitors shimmy through the narrow passageways, searching for foods appealing enough to negate the long wait in line they require. To some, the adventure of trying new flavours, or old favourites, ends in a communal feast. Others take advantage of the seats in front of the performance stage, mill the shopping booths or form half-circles around the buskers posted throughout the market while they dig into their multicultural eats.
Talks are set to start later this month for next years market, but the cultural gathering-place is officially returning in 2012.
The market runs from 7 p.m. every weekend through Sept. 18.
