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Some of the choices available Richmond’s Night Market’s International Food Court

Photo courtesy Richmond Night Market

Some of the choices available Richmond’s Night Market’s International Food Court

Photo courtesy Richmond Night Market

Richmond Night Market opens April 28, to include an international food adventure

Photo courtesy Richmond Night Market

Some of the choices available Richmond’s Night Market’s International Food Court

Photo courtesy Richmond Night Market

Richmond a one-stop paradise for Asian food

By Florence Gordon

Published 10:47 PDT, Fri April 28, 2023

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The Richmond Night Market is more then an amusement park, it’s an opportunity for small home-based business owners to experience marketing their products on the front line, to a captive audience of over one million customers in a season. What better way to test the market and give these small business owners the tools to build a successful long-term business plan that may one day become a retail store in a shopping mall.

In 2000, Raymond Cheung, a young entrepreneur himself, started the initial night market at the Continental Centre on Cambie Road with a similar vision on a much smaller scale. He knew he was on the right track when he outgrew this location.

He negotiated space at the Lansdowne Mall parking lot, not knowing if his concept of an outdoor market would appeal to the western culture. It wasn’t long before the night market outgrew this location so he negotiated an agreement to lease the empty lot at the foot of No. 3 Road where RiverRock Casino stands today. At the time the RiverRock Casino, Hotel and Theatre was still in the development stage, but once the RiverRock construction started Raymond found a new location on River Road that was large enough to add a parking lot.

What most don’t realize is, that with each move came a lot of challenges with permits, installation of plumbing and electrical supply, health and safety inspections, fire inspections, RCMP contract, private security and traffic control contracts.

Finally, after several years at this location, a decision to re-locate brought the Richmond Night Market back home to what is known as Duck Island, thus the history behind the night market’s mascot. The property offered 18 acres including a king size parking lot. What a great location this turned out to be. With popularity came traffic challenges, but with a marketing campaign most discovered that the Canada Line and a bus loop connecting to the Lower Mainland was right at the night market’s doorstep.

Cheung has been known for introducing a new theme each year. In 2012 Return of the Dragon, Magical Candyland in 2014 and Pirate in 2015. In 2016 the Richmond Night Market transformed into Magical Dino Park with 18 moving and roaring life-size dinosaurs and many visitors were seen snapping selfies. In 2017, Cheung’s night market celebrated Canada’s 150th birthday featuring special entertainment and a massive birthday cake.

Then in 2020, plans were well underway for a new season when COVID-19 shut down all public activities until mid-summer of 2021. Cheung received three weeks’ notice that he would be allowed to open the night market for a short season, from July 23 to Sept. 6, providing every safety precaution was adhered to. In an interview with the Richmond Sentinel, Cheung said normally it takes four months to plan a season, my team had three weeks to pull everything together. Back when this happened, a visit to the site found Cheung covered in paint and dirt, working alongside his crew determined to meet the re-opening deadline. Cheung said it was not an easy task to bring the vendors back, get the word out on such short notice while under new health and safety regulations, but he was determined to meet the challenge head on.

So, what’s new for 2023? Cheung in an interview with the Richmond Sentinel said “my team is working hard to bring back the popular attractions of the Richmond Night Market that has given it international recognition.

The theme, ‘Summer Wonderland’ will include: 110 food booths and trucks, offering over 600 different items from around the world which we like to refer to as ‘2023 International Food Adventure’. For the first time foods from Indonesia, Turkey and Mexico will be featured for visitors to try and yes, foods and desserts from all four corners of the world are a popular mainstay of the market, but this year’s attraction has amped up its international quotient.

For entertainment, the main stage will offer live performances including musicians, dance teams, martial art displays and much more, like the Wonderland themed forest.”

The opening day, April 28, 2023.

Last year, the Canadian version of the Amazing Race Season 8, ended the TV race at the Richmond Night Market where the contestants had to perform several challenges within a very crowded venue before reaching its final destination in Vancouver. For those that watched the episode, it was great fun to identify all the familiar landmarks and to see Richmond being promoted on national television.

This premium location offers hundreds of parking spots on site. In addition, the Canada Line and a bus station offers transportation service with connections to the Lower Mainland just a block away. Admission is free to children seven and under and seniors 60 and older.

For more information richmondnightmarket.com