The Thursday night hustle and bustle will return to downtown Nanaimo as the Commercial Street Night Market sets up shop for another season.
Beginning on Thursday, June 19, and on subsequent Thursday nights till Aug. 28, Commercial Street will be closed off allowing over 200 artisan vendors to sell their wares. It is also hoped the popular summertime attraction, entering its sixth season, will help merchants negatively impacted by recent roadwork, said Rinny Jose, Greater Nanaimo Chamber of Commerce marketing and events coordinator.
"It's 11 weeks of almost 5,000 to 7,000 people coming to downtown, exploring the downtown, the vendors, and we are excited for the new street, and the vendors are excited for the new street," said Jose. "They've had a tough time last year."
There will be numerous entertainers that perform throughout the 11 weeks, with a main stage and Brix and Mortar Social House owner Leon Drzewiecki offering space for buskers to perform, she said.
"The busking site will be for the newer artists and we're excited for them … We still have a wait-list for the entertainers as well," said Jose.
A kids' zone will provide different activities every week, including backpack decorations, temporary tattoos and do-it-yourself jewelry. Organizers are also promising "one of [the] most exciting food truck lineups" with choices like extreme mac-and-cheese, tacos, poutine, sliders, donairs, mini doughnuts, funnel cakes, real fruit soft-serve and gluten-free and vegan options.
On opening night this week there will be a special ceremony to commemorate the 55-Plus B.C. Games, which begin in Nanaimo in late summer.
The night market's hours will be from 5-9 p.m. For more information, visit http://nanaimochamber.bc.ca/nanaimo-night-market.
