PATCH
By Nick Garber
EAST HARLEM, NY — A popular market that took Harlem by storm two years ago is back after a pandemic hiatus — just in time for the holidays.
This year's Harlem Night Market will open on Dec. 17, spanning three days during the last shopping weekend before Christmas. (It's not to be confused with the Uptown Night Market, an upstart event in West Harlem that just wrapped up its inaugural season.)
Like in 2019, it will be based at La Marqueta, the shopping complex under the Metro-North tracks along Park Avenue. To accommodate even more vendors, this year's market has grown to cover three lots of La Marqueta between 115th and 117th streets.
Vendors will include Harlem Biscuit Company, Black Rican Vegan, Au Jus BBQ, Taco Africana and Cafe Ollin — joining dozens of others on the long and growing list.
The Harlem Night Market will run from 5-9 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 18; 4-0 p.m. on Saturday, and 3-8 p.m. on Sunday. Like last time, it was put together by Uptown Grand Central, TBo Harlem, Union Settlement and NYC Public Markets.
Entry will be free, but visitors can register in advance online. Proof of vaccination and an ID will be required to enter.
"All of Uptown and the Bronx remembers that their aunties and grandmas went to La Marqueta to do their shopping," Uptown Grand Central director Carey King said in a news release.
"The Harlem Night Market is about bringing the next generation of shoppers and vendors back to this historic complex that is the heartbeat for small business and culture in the neighborhood."
When it opened in 2019, the event billed itself as the first night market in Manhattan, joining similar concepts in Queens and the Bronx.
During the night market, stalls in La Marqueta's historic retail market building will come alive with food, drinks and craft vendors, while the recently renovated La Placita Event Space will feature performances by Los Pleneros de la 21, the Sing Harlem Gospel Choir, and D.J.s Ted Smooth and Stormin' Norman — plus graffiti artists creating live art and other food and craft vendors. Finally, the Urban Garden Center across 116th Street will host a small family space decorated with wreaths and garlands, with family-oriented vendors and cultural activities by El Museo del Barrio.
"The return of the holiday night market at La Placita is exactly the cultural and economic programming needed at this time," Councilmember Diana Ayala said in a statement.