Tacoma’s Black Night Market is back with a new location. Here are the details
The Black Night Market in Tacoma is back for the summer, and it’s bigger than ever.
It kicks off Friday, June 30, at the Haub Family Field at LeMay - America’s Car Museum from 4-10 p.m.
Market founder Mari Griffin said the Black Night Market was created to provide a space for performances and economic opportunities for Black-owned and BIPOC-owned businesses and performing artists.
The event, which was originally held at Edison Square, moved to a bigger venue because it outgrew the space.
Griffin told The News Tribune that moving to a bigger venue has allowed her to bring in and help more vendors while providing a space for her regulars to stay for hours.
The outdoor market will host over 100 vendors, more than doubling the number able to be accommodated at the previous location.
People will be able to shop for a wide variety of goods, including art, African clothing, jewelry and artifacts. There will be several food trucks selling Jamaican food, soul food, Filipino food and Hispanic food.
Some free activities are double dutch, bounce houses and live musical performances. The event will be filled with performances by poets, saxophonists, Neo Soul performers, step teams and more.
The Black Night Market will be held every last Friday of the month from June through September and will include a different theme every month.
“It’s important that we have themes because there are other markets on the same days and times, and we want to stand out for our guests and our community,” Griffin said. “Giving them a different experience every time is very important to me.”
Entrance to the event is free. People are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and/or blankets to hang out on the field, according to a post on the Black Market Instagram.
“We welcome everyone,” Griffin said. “No matter who you are, what you are, you are welcome to attend and to support and be a part of our community and learn about our culture and our community.”
This story was originally published June 29, 2023 at 10:20 AM.
