Queens Night Market Will Be Free Starting This Weekend

A food vendor at the Queens Night Market (Photo: Sharon Medina via Queens Night Market Facebook page)

July 8, 2021 By Michael Dorgan

The Queens Night Market will be free and fully open to the public beginning this Saturday.

The weekly food market, which was canceled last season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, returned on June 19 for its sixth season at Flushing Meadows Corona Park.

Organizers placed a cap on visitor numbers due to state restrictions and had been charging a $5 entrance fee to offset their loss of revenue.

The fee has now been scrapped and all capacity limits have been removed.

“We’ve aspired to lift ticketing as quickly as possible because I’m not sure we can
convincingly call ourselves a community event when there’s an admission fee,” said John Wang, founder of the Queens Night Market.

The market will now be open to all residents free of cost each Saturday – from July 10 through Oct. 30 – from 4 p.m. to midnight. The market will be closed on Aug. 28, Sept. 4 and Sept. 11 due to the U.S. Tennis Open.

The Queens Night Market is known for its $5 and $6 price cap per food item. The cap will remain in place again this year, Wang said.

“Our mission is to be New York City’s most affordable, diverse, and welcoming community event. We try to be a reprieve from the ever-increasing costs of living in New York City while also celebrating the unparalleled diversity that makes this city so great.”

A food vendor at the Queens Night Market (Photo: Sharon Medina via Queens Night Market Facebook page)

Wang said that vendors have seen a surge in business over the last three weeks, despite the restrictions, with most beating their weekly sales records compared to previous years.

“We didn’t anticipate visitors spending as much money… [they] really just wanted to soak it up, which led to an amazing atmosphere,” Wang said.

On its reopening night last month, Queens Borough President Donovan Richards was in attendance and issued a proclamation declaring June 19, 2021 “Queens Night Market Day.”

The Queens Night Market features diverse foods made by the people who grew up eating them, Wang said.

Since the market’s inception in 2015, 90 countries have been represented through their vendors and food, Wang said.

The 2021 season includes an array of food vendors offering items from a range of nations, such as Venezuela, Afghanistan, Ukraine, Indonesia, Portugal, the Philippines, Romania, Vietnam, Cambodia, Colombia, Tibet, Japan, Mexico, Peru, India, Sudan and more.

The event also hosts vendors offering handmade jewelry, art, apparel, handpoured candles, photographs and more.

A number of live music performances take place each Saturday featuring DJs, rock bands, jazz bands and dance groups.

(Photo: Sharon Medina via Queens Night Market Facebook page)

Below is a list of confirmed vendors operating at the 2021 Queens Night Market:

Food:
Anda Café – Bubble Tea & Shaved Ice
Arepalicious – Colombian Arepas
Askanya Chocolates – Haitian Chocolate
Ay Cachapas! – Venezuelan Cachapas
Bengali Street Eats – Bangladeshi Fushka
Black Orchid Kitchen – Belizean Shark Panades & Conch Fritters
La Braza – Roasted Corn & Skewers
Bstro – Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken
Burmese Bites – Burmese Palatas
C Bao – Asian Duck and Pork Buns
Cambodiannow – Cambodian Fish Amok
Chick’n Rotonda – Filipino Lechon Paksiw
Cilantro & Mint – Indian Chole Bhature & Masala Noodles
Cocotazo – Puerto Rican Pastelles & Rellenos de Papa
DiLena’s Dolcini – Italian Cannoli and Baked Goods
Dolce Facce – Cute Animal Ice Cream Faces
Don Ceviche – Peruvian Ceviche and Jalea
Go Green Yaks! – Tibetan Tsel Bhakleb & Tsamthuk
Grilla in Manila – Filipino Choribuger, Dinuguan & Balut
Hong Kong Street Food
Kanin NYC – Filipino Lugaw and Halo Halo
Janie’s Life-Changing Baked Goods – Pie-Crust Cookies
Jhal NYC – Bengali Jhal Muri
Jibarito Shack – Puerto Rican Jibaritos
Joey Bats Café – Portuguese Pasteis de Nata & Stuffed Bica
Joon – Persian Crispy Rice
Kanin NYC – Filipino Lugaw & Halo-Halo
La Carnada – Mexican Huaraches
La’Maoli – Antiguan Black Pudding & Ducana
Lapu Lapu Foods – Filipino Chicken Adobo
Leticia’s – Ecuadorian Ceviche & Quimbolitos
Lion City Coffee – Singaporean Mee Pok & Chai Tow Kway
Los Almendros – Salvadoran Pupusas
The Malaysian Project – Malaysian “Ramly” Burgers & Kaya Toast
Mama Food – Squid Skewers
Monday Dinner – Ukrainian Kasha Varnishkes & Kotletke;
Moon Man – Indonesian Kue Pancong
Nansense – Afghan Mantu, Chapli Kebabs & Shor Nakhod
Nomad Dumplings – Tibetan Momos
Odin’s Might Musubi – Hawaiian Musubi
Oh Dango! – Japanese Dango
Oh Malatang! – Mala Skewers
Pancho’s Taco Shop – Oaxacan Chivo and Lengua Tacos
Sam’s Fried Ice Cream
Sambuxa NYC – Sudanese Sambuxa & Kofta
Sea Monster – Malaysian Grilled Skate Wing
Sholay – Indian Tandoori BBQ
Taste of Palestine by Baba’s Olives – Palestinian Makloubeh & Mutabbal
Tada Noodles – Korean Jjajangmyeon
Treat Yourself Jerk Chicken
Twisted Potato – Fried Potato Twists
Twister Cake Bakery – Romanian/Hungarian Kürtőskalács
Vhorta NYC – Sylheti Doi Bora & Halwa
Viva Natural Foods – Brazilian Pão de Queijo & Brigadeiros
Warung Jancook – Indonesian Sate, Tahu Pong & Ote Ote

Art/Merchandise:
Aphrodite Rose – Handmade Caftans
Art by Alex Alba – Art & Photography
Art by Larceria Brown – Paintings
Autumn’s Bake Shop – Gourmet Dog Treats
Bartheory – Artisan Body Products
Candlez for a Cause – Soy Candles
Colombian Handicrafts
Colorful New York – Art & Prints
Feride Sultan – Hair Accessories
First Team Vintage NYC – Vintage Sportswear
Gvalentineconnections – Dinosaur Art
Hecho Local by The August Tree
Issues Gallery – Superhero Art
Kat’s Handmade Jewels
Leí è Glamour – Handmade Jewelry
Mel’s Handmade – Crochet Toys
Nose Best Candles – Tongue-in-Cheek Candles
Ombrato – Japanese Crafts & Gifts
Peaches Design – Tees & Prints
Queens Thread – Queens-themed Apparel
Queeny Studio – Vaccination Card Holders
Really Bad Portraits
Sabrina’s Henna
SerotoninChaser – Skateboards & Decals
Sweet Sincerely – Calligraphy and Stationery
The Cool Table – Vintage Apparel
Theobucket Vintage – Vintage Brooches & Ads
Tragos – Locally Created Card Game
Treestar – Small Batch Soaps