Night Market (Print) News-Feature

After buying their tickets, attendees of Atlanta’s International Night Market stepped through a concert-style entrance and into an extensive version of a neighbor’s backyard barbecue.

An estimated 50,000 people came from all over the state to enjoy the food, performances, merchandise from different cultures and the company of strangers.

Almost every corner was covered with food trucks and booths of cuisine from Germany, Japan, Italy, Ireland, Vietnam, China and more. There was a highly affordable gourmet selection. One of the trucks, called Maine Lobster, sold its specialty at lower prices than typical restaurants.

Night-Market attendee, Amanda Porter, was extremely pleased with the Maine Lobster food truck. “It was delicious, and I got a tail with butter for 14 bucks,” she said. “It was one of the best I’ve ever had.”

The market provided familiar food as well such as funnel cake, snow cones, turkey legs, hot dogs with polish sausage and barbecue plates.

Less familiar food included Vietnamese pho noodles, Japanese teriyaki chicken, German wiener schnitzel and pizza in an ice cream cone shape.   

For the health conscious there was a vegan village food section, featuring the Island Noodle vendors who steamed fresh vegetables and clear noodles in a large metal pan to limit grease.

Another popular spot: retail booths in the artist village. People were eager to observe handmade items such as wool blankets from Switzerland or Korean merchandise like Tony Moly beauty products.

Giving Back

Although the markets overall nature encouraged a drink and be merry attitude, it served a greater purpose than entertainment.

The event organizers AINM, a non-profit foundation, planned the Night Market to serve as a way of giving back to the Dekalb community. They provided visibility for these vendors – with thousands of people becoming familiar with their food and merchandise.

Throughout the market, ‘Taste the World’ signage served as the theme, since vendors brought food consumed globally. People were exposed to new cultures and businesses without having to actually fly to these countries.

The event also featured ‘VIP contributors,’ including the President and CEO Katerina Taylor of DeKalb’s Chamber of Commerce.

These contributors donated and provided resources to the Night Market hoping that their efforts will reinvigorate public interest in DeKalb’s businesses.

These festivities promoted diversity not only of DeKalb’s residents but of their businesses. 

Night Market businesses are concerned with more than their own prosperity. They want to see their community benefit.

One of the owners of Gelato Revolution, Leia Dipkin, provided healthy, diary-free, ice cream. Since this gelato contains only natural ingredients, she hopes the community will consider buying their brand instead of those better known.

Cultural Awareness

Dipkin wants the organizers to go even further with their diversity efforts at the next Night Market, using their platform to raise awareness about issues facing refugees and immigrants in Metro Atlanta.

“Food is such a great pathway to… [learn] about another culture,” she said. She believes using food to educate others about these immigrants’ culture will make people more sympathetic.

Ninh T. Chau, a Chinese bamboo furniture vendor for Bamboozie, mentioned the festival brought attention to his culture and business because people were interested in how different the furniture is.

“People stop by [to see the furniture], and everybody can relate to the [bamboo] tiki bar when people do the luau thing,” Chau explained. “It’s not something you normally find at the Ikea.”

Layla Manly, a creator of handmade jewelry, expressed the value of learning about these cultures at Atlanta’s Night Market. She thinks the exposure challenges one’s way of thinking.

Manly said, “It’s good for us to bump up against each other … against our ways, realizing there are more ways to learn and deal with life.”

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