2nd Street Festival presents Northern Liberties Night Market

On Thursday, the new biannual event will include food trucks, shopping vendors, games, live music, and performers.

The scene of a previous 2nd Street Festival.

The scene of a previous 2nd Street Festival in Northern Liberties. This year, the Festival is debuting its first ever Night Market. (2nd Street Festival Facebook)

The 2nd Street Festival may still be on hiatus because of the coronavirus pandemic, but to whet appetites in the meantime festival organizers have come up with an alternative.

On Thursday, Sept. 23, the Northern Liberties Night Market will launch on North Second Street, between Fairmount and Poplar streets. Present at the family-friendly, open-air event will be dozens of food trucks, food tents, shopping vendors, games, live music, and entertainment.

“The organizers of the popular 2nd Street Festival are thrilled to debut this new series of open-air food festivals in our neighborhood of Northern Liberties,” Owen Kamihira, president of 2nd Street Festival Corp., said in a press release.

The market is part of 2nd Street Festival’s plan to expand on its annual gathering, and draws inspiration from the Night Market series previously run by the nonprofit Food Trust.

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The Northern Liberties Night Market will offer some vendors their first opportunity to serve up dishes since the start of the pandemic, while also showcasing what the neighborhood has to offer.

“When we started the 2nd Street Festival, we just wanted to celebrate our neighborhood and have fun doing it,” said festival co-founder and North Bowl owner Oron Daskal. “It’s amazing how much interest it draws now and how much life it brings to 2nd Street.”

The organizers plan for the Night Market to be part of a biannual series, taking place every spring and fall.

The list of food merchants for Thursday’s market currently includes: El Camino; Bake’n Bacon; Calle del Sabor; Moocheeze Food Truck; Pound Cake Heaven; Byzantium Empire; Philadelphia Tropical Treats; Urban Village Brewing; and Haagen-Dazs.

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Snacktime Philly will be on site with a second-line-style marching band and a second troupe in the North Bowl parking lot. DJ Frosty will also provide music, and hip-hop dance organization Project Positive will provide performers.

Lawn games such as cornhole, ladder golf, life-size Jenga, and Connect Four will be in a game zone sponsored by Post Brothers.

The festival will run from 5 to 10 p.m. and is free to attend. Food and drink are pay-as-you-go. Dogs are welcome.

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