The Bronx Night Market

The Bronx Night Market is set to have one more festive event of the season. So as summer comes to a close, WFUV's Isabel Danzis brings you to the Bronx Night Market to experience what it has to offer.

[TRANSCRIPT]

DANZIS: Located in Fordham Plaza, directly across the university, the Bronx Night Market finds a happy home once a month. The outdoor market runs from May to October every year and aims to highlight diverse food vendors from all across the five boroughs. 

SHALMA: “Bronx Night Market is our OG brand. We started out in 2017 as a push to support the community, bring more elevated activation to the diverse, affordable, the fun, really kinda highlight businesses from the Bronx. Because it’s the OG brand, we always take extra care of the Bronx Night Market.” 

DANZIS: That’s Marco Shalma, the founder of the Bronx Night Market. Since the creation of the “OG brand,” Shalma and his group, Masc Hospitality, created the Uptown, Vegan, Brooklyn and Latin Night Markets. But Shalma says none of that would’ve been possible without the Bronx Night Market, which he says showed the power of uplifting local businesses. 

SHALMA: “I like to say there was some sort of higher calling but really it was my need to have more diverse food offerings around the Bronx and my want and my partner’s to have support the small businesses in a way that we see in Brooklyn, Manhattan and Queens.” 

DANZIS: And Shalma’s goal is still present, the Bronx Night Market has continued to highlight diverse food options. 

SHALMA: “Every year, in every event, we make sure that there is a diverse food offering, that is very cultural, diverse. We have anything from Latin food of all kinds to, we have African food, we have American food, Italian, I mean you name it we have it.”

DANZIS: And outside of its affordable food offerings, the Night Market places a premium on  community-building, especially through live music.

SHALMA: “We really strongly believe that the way to bring people together is through food and through their stomach, and happy vibe. And that’s what we try and do over here. The diversity of food is ridiculous, it’s so good.”

DANZIS: For food vendors, the Bronx Night Market is an effective way for them to sell their food and expand their audience. Take it from Todd Jones, a vendor at the market selling hot, fresh donuts. 

JONES: “It gives us exposure to the Bronx market because we’re from Queens. So it gives us quick perspective on how the people of the Bronx would take our product.” 

DANZIS: For others, like Rebecca Ortero , from Flamboyan Kitchen, a Puerto Rican Bakery, the ambiance of the market makes it a good place to sell.

ORTERO: “It’s really great having so much going on, so much traffic, you know the music, everybody’s ready you know to have a good time and enjoy.”

DANZIS: While the Bronx Night Market has a lot of food vendors, it also provides space for artists like Deidre McNish Brown to sell their artisan crafts.

McNishBrown: “I do jewelry, handmade jewelry, mainly semi-precious gemstones, but I also so African recycled glass and I mix in bone and wood and some other fun elements as well.” 

DANZIS: For Mcnish Brown, the market means better exposure for her work to many new clients. 

McNishBrown: It’s awesome, you get to connect with the community, you get to show your things to a new audience because you never know who is gonna come through, and you just to get to talk about your brand what it means to you and why you’re inspired to do what you do.” 

DANZIS: And for an answer on the market’s best food…I figured I’d differ to the experts, so in this case that’s the Market’s founder Marco Shalma. And his answer was predictably diplomatic

SHALMA: “I try my best throughout the season to taste everyone’s offerings. I have to tell you, so far, I have not had a bad meal from any of our vendors over here. If I had to choose a favorite, it would probably would be something of the Caribbean flavors, it’s just like a bang!”

DANZIS: This year’s final Bronx Night Market will be hosted on October 28th.