It was such a hit, they’re doing it again for the rest of the year.
Thousands of people showed up for food, dancing and fun in one of the city’s most iconic neighborhoods over two nights in November during APEC, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation.
Small business owner Manny Yekutiel was one of the thousands who attended.
"I was excited," he said. "I was dancing in the streets with Aunt Lily. And I walked away from that thinking we need to help make this happen more consistently."
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Yekutiel’s nonprofit, The Civic Joy Fund, awarded BeChinatown a $100,000 grant. BeChinatown is founded by Lily Lo.
"So, this is not my idea. I am not organizing it," Yekutiel said. "This is something that Lily and the Chinatown community made happen … I'm happy to say that our grant is going to be able to facilitate the base operating costs of a yearsworth of night markets in Chinatown."
The $100,000 grant will help with permitting fees, hiring people to set up, entertainment and cleanup.
Yekutiel and Lo created an instant friendship and are now on a mission.
"Isn't that what makes San Francisco so amazing? A Chinese grandmother, a young gay Jew from the Castro can work together on helping small businesses thrive," Yekutiel said. "Chinatown is squarely in the middle of our downtown. The narrative around our downtown is that it's empty. But Chinatown is its beating heart, and so, I just think it's important that we support it as much as possible."
The first night market is Friday, March 8, from 5:30 to 9 p.m. It will be held on the 700, 800 and 900 blocks of Grant Avenue every second Friday of the month through November 2024.
