The Castro will soon launch its first night market on Friday, October 18 after the success of night markets in Chinatown, Sunset, and along the Great Highway.
Castro Merchants president Terry Asten Bennett shared the news at the group's September meeting. Asten Bennett had previously proposed the idea back in August.
Night markets have been popping up around the city bringing vibrancy and foot traffic to neighborhoods struggling post-pandemic.
"The Castro nightlife has always been fun and vibrant, post-pandemic we need to remind people of this and give them an excuse to come back to the Castro," said Asten Bennett.
The October Castro Night Market will be the first of six scheduled events. Additional night markets are tentatively set for December 20, March 21, May 18, July 18, and September 19.
The event is funded by the Civic Joy Fund, co-founded by Manny Yekutiel and mayoral candidate Daniel Lurie, and produced by CG Events co-founders Chris Carrington and Greg Sroda.
Additionally, city fees have been waived through legislation passed earlier this year by Mayor Breed's office. "Without the Mayor’s Street Fee Legislation, Castro Night Market would be completely impossible," said Asten Bennett.
Earlier this year, the Castro Merchants partnered with CG Events to produce its seasonal activations along Noe St.
"Night Markets all over the city have been wildly popular," added Asten Bennett. "We feel confident that with our own Castro spin this will be a destination every time we have one."
Photo: Steven Bracco/Hoodline
18th Street will be closed from Hartford to Castro streets and from Castro to Collingwood streets from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Castro Street will remain open throughout the evening. Street closures will begin on Friday, October 18 at 12 p.m.
The event footprint resembles the pandemic-era Shared Spaces car-free weekends in the Castro. However, Asten Bennett explains the night market will look and feel entirely different.
"The Car-Free Shared Spaces of 2021 was just that, a car-free street," she said. "This night market will include vendors, music, and entertainment."
Shared Spaces car-free 18th St. (2021). | Photo: Shared Space/Facebook
Asten Bennett hopes the event will fill "an important gap time of day between our daytime and nighttime business." Typically, the Castro empties out in the early evening hours before the nightclubs get busy.
"This is all about getting the merchants involved and getting people out into the neighborhood," said Carrington at the meeting. "We want to see vendors who are already in neighborhood life. We want as many people involved from the Castro as possible — merchants members will have priority in the market."
Castro Night Market is currently accepting vendor applications until October 8.
The event comes during what will be a busy month in the Castro. The 50th Anniversary Castro Street Fair takes place on Sunday, October 6, less than two weeks before the night market.
Photo: Steven Bracco/Hoodline
CG Events will also produce the third annual family-friendly Halloween in the Castro on Sunday, October 27 with funding from the Office of Economic and Workforce Development.
Comfort & Joy will also host its annual Glow in the Streets block party on Saturday, October 26 funded by the Civic Joy Fund.
With Taraval Night Market drawing about 7,500 attendees and the Sunset Night Market about 20,000, Castro Night Market has the potential to attract one of the largest permitted nighttime crowds since the demise of Halloween in the Castro in 2006. Although, both events took place on much larger footprints.
Future Castro Night Markets could potentially see an influx of attendees if the Castro is added as an Entertainment Zone.
Entertainment Zones, like Oktoberfest on Front St, allow attendees to consume to-go alcohol purchased from bars and restaurants in common spaces like streets, sidewalks, and plazas.
