San Francisco’s popular Chinatown night market is set to return on Friday, May 9, lighting up Grant Avenue with food, music, and local culture.
Organized by BeChinatown’s Myron Lee and Lily Lo, the event will be held on the second Friday of each month through October, offering six nights of celebration and community connection.
Stretching across five blocks between California and Pacific Streets, the market will feature over 40 food vendors and a new live music stage showcasing Asian American and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) performers, as described by NRI Page. Two blocks on Waverly Place will host games, crafts, and family activities, expanding the market’s appeal to all ages.
The night market’s success last year, which drew over 10,000 visitors monthly, inspired expansion not only in Chinatown but across San Francisco.
“Chinatown was our first foray into making San Francisco a night market city,” Civic Joy Fund executive director Manny Yekutiel told NBC Bay Area, noting that ten such events will now take place across the city.
Participating vendors regularly earned between four and five figures per night, with surrounding shops benefiting from extended hours. Vendor applications are open on a first-come, first-served basis via BeChinatown’s website or Instagram (@BeChinatownSF), with a focus on local and AANHPI-owned businesses.
Running from 5 to 9 p.m., the Chinatown night market offers more than street food—it’s a celebration of heritage, economic revival, and collective joy.
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