These Night Markets Are Lighting Up Cities

As farmers markets and food truck rallies now seemingly pop up everywhere, a new nocturnal trend has recharged the street food scene and illuminated the rich potential hidden in long-forgotten neighborhoods across the US. Inspired by the late-night street markets found in many Asian cities, more and more night markets have taken root stateside to expose a rich, cultural melting pot that has largely simmered unnoticed to US audiences. Here, we take a look at the most popular night markets shedding light on local culture from coast-to-coast.

Image Credit: PDP Night Market

PDP Night Market is a quarterly program of the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership that transforms an empty parking lot into a vibrant, pop-up shopping market on various nights each summer.

The market is stocked with vendors selling food, cocktails, jewelry, apparel, photography, art and home décor while various musical acts and performers entertain guests. Like Jaxsons Night Market, PDP Night Market is filled with hyper-local vendors offering a unique peak at a diverse cross-section of Pittsburgh’s burgeoning entrepreneurial culture.

Image Credit: PDP Night Market

What is particularly unique about PDP Night Market is that it is held in conjunction with the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust’s Gallery Crawl, a self-guided walking tour featuring free admission to galleries and spaces within the Cultural District.

Image Credit: PDP Night Market

Pittsburgh’s Cultural District is considered the bell-weather for an arts-based urban redevelopment strategy. Jack Heinz formed the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust in 1984 with a vision to transform the Penn-Liberty Avenue corridor into a vibrant arts and residential neighborhood. Today this 14-square block area bounded by the Convention Center and Stanwix Street, is home to close to 100 retail shops, 50 dining establishments, seven world-class theaters, eight public parks and nearly a dozen art galleries.