Queens Night Market Cancels Season; Outpost Opens Next Week

QUEENS, NY – The Queens Night Market has officially canceled its season due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The decision to cancel this year's season was made out of an abundance of caution for public safety, officials said, and a fear of putting vendors in a position where they were likely to lose money. The Night Market focuses on affordability, and the unique price cap means vendors' profitability depends on volume.

"We miss seeing thousands and thousands of diverse, happy faces on Saturday nights more than we could possible imagine, but we know canceling is the right decision for New Yorkers and for our vendors," John Wang, founder of the Queens Night Market, said in the announcement.

The market has been run since 2015 and welcomed over a million visitors, helped launch 300 new businesses in New York City and represented over 90 countries through its vendors and their food. Last year, the market averaged 13,000 visitors per night.

When the Night Market paused its season in March due to the pandemic, it began providing meals to healthcare workers through the Fuel the Frontlines initiative. To date, they've served more than 10,000 meals.

As the Night Market looks to 2021, the Night Market Outpost will return to Rockefeller Center on Monday and will be open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. through November.

This year, the Outpost will feature six vendors in order to help maximize sales for each participant while maintaining public health and safety measures.

"We know these times have been especially disruptive for the food industry and the thousands of apsiring food entrepreneurs in NYC," Wang said. "Facing that reality, we're even more grateful for the low-cost, low-risk environment for vendors we've designed alongside our partners at Rockefeller Center."

Participating vendors include:

• Joey Bats Cafe
• Treat Yourself Jerk Chicken
• The Fried Kitchen
• Mamika's Homemade
• La Braza
• DiLena's Dolcini