YèShì Night Market returns to Chinatown after pandemic halt

After being paused for four years because of the pandemic, the YèShì Chinatown Night Market will be returning Thursday.

The market, founded by the Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation (PCDC) in 2011, used to be held every year, attracting more than 20,000 people, on average. But once the pandemic hit, the market shut down — until community members decided to bring it back this year.

Since its founding, the YèShì Chinatown Night Market has been an ode to Chinese culture and tradition.

“The idea of having a night market is something that originates from China,” said Haoyi Shang, commercial corridor manager for PCDC and one of the organizers of the night market. Shang said that Rachel Mak, deputy director of PCDC, felt inspired to organize the market after her trips to China.

“It’s a place where everyone around the city comes — no matter what ethnicity, race you are — to just enjoy great food and great entertainment.”

“[Mak] saw a very lively night market scene in Hong Kong and other places in China, and she said we should have something similar in Chinatown,” Shang said.

For Anna Quan, another organizer of the event, the YèShì Night Market has been a staple throughout her upbringing in Chinatown — and a way for her to connect with her heritage.

“It really does bring a lot of the Asian culture … and it’s a place where everyone around the city comes — no matter what ethnicity, race you are — to just enjoy great food and great entertainment,” Quan said. “I think it also empowers the Chinatown community as well, to be able to showcase different businesses and food trucks within the city.”

Shang added that they hope the night market will attract non-Chinatown residents to view the neighborhood as a destination and a safe area to visit at night.

Located on 10th and Race Streets in Chinatown, the night market will feature a diversity of food vendors, arts and crafts vendors, performances, and activities. Food will include Korea Taqueria, Byzantium Empire, Sang Lee Noodle House, and Husky Jaws Corn Roasting Co.

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The Philadelphia Suns, Chinatown’s basketball team, will be performing their traditional Lion Dance at the night market. But this year will also appeal to younger generations with more modern performances, including spoken word poetry and K-Pop cover bands, and dance groups, such as Temple University’s EFIX.

“It’s very diverse this year,” Shang said.

The market will also feature a table to discuss the proposed Sixers’ arena and the impact community members believe it will have on neighboring Chinatown.

The Sixers describe the $1.55 billion arena — which would rise on the footprint from 10th to 11th and Market to Filbert Streets, its northern end abutting Chinatown at Cuthbert Street — as a tax-generating win for the city, one that would create jobs and drive spending and foot traffic east of Market Street. But Chinatown community members and supporters say the arena would cause gentrification and displacement in the historic neighborhood, one of the last remaining communities of color in Center City.

“It wasn’t our main focus at the beginning… but at this point, we realized that’s an ongoing issue that’s going to impact our community deeply,” Shang said.

The YèShì Chinatown Night Market will be held Thursday, Oct. 12 from 6 to 10 p.m., from Arch and 10th Streets up north to Race Street between 11th and 9th Streets.