Queens Night Market goes on month-long hiatus

The Queens Night Market will be back Sept. 14. Photo by Sharon Medina-Chavez, courtesy of the Queens Night Market.

By Victoria Merlino

The Queens Night Market is closing up shop until September, making way for the incoming U.S. Open tennis tournament.

The event will go on a month-long hiatus following the Aug. 17 market, and make its return on Sept. 14. In the meantime, the U.S. Open will use its space in Flushing Meadows Corona Park as a parking lot.

This year’s season has seen a 30 percent increase in average vendor sales, attributed to the event opening an hour earlier than in years past and lowering vendor fees to increase profitability.  

The changes were made to ease the burden on vendors, as most foods at the event are required to stay at a $5 price point. 

“Our goal is to continue being the most diversely attended event in NYC, which to us necessarily means being the most affordable event in this unaffordable city,” said John Wang, founder of the Queens Night Market. “I understand the price cap isn’t easy on the bottom line for vendors, which is why we do everything we can to minimize barriers to entry and to maximize the number of sales they’re making every night.”