FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q: Is there a Market Map? Where is it?
A: Here!

Q: What’s happening? What is this? Where am I?
A: This is the New Haven Night Market, downtown New Haven’s evening bazaar! Check out the tabs and pages on this website to learn more.

Q: How do I get to the Night Market? Must I drive?
A: You can view suggestions for parking garages/lots, rideshare drop-off locations, public transit, bike rack locations, & more on the Transportation Page!

Q: How often does this happen?
A: Currently, the New Haven Night Market takes place twice a year in spring and fall, so save the date!

Q: Should I bring anything?
A: If you are 21+ and planning on purchasing any alcoholic beverages, please bring a valid form of identification. There will be 2 ID Check stalls where you will receive a free wristband. Please head there first! Vendors cannot serve you without seeing a wristband.
And your grandma asked us to tell you to bring a sweater.

Q: Do I need to pay for anything? Is this a free event?
A: Yup, this event is totally FREE to attend and incorporates many free elements such as art galleries, art-making, live music (dancing), window shopping, conversations with new or old friends, many dogs to pet, and impeccable ambiance to bask in.
That being said, we do plan to pack the street with many really cool curated vendors selling items, food and drink! We also encouraged dozens of local businesses to remain open, so you may want to plan on treating yourself a little; it’ll be hard to resist!

Q: What’s the deal with the drink tokens?

So, to be able to keep serving drinks at our Night Markets we must employ a drink token system for alcoholic beverages only (beer, wine, liquor). All beer, wine, and cocktails from street vendors (ONLY street vendors; no restaurants inside their walls will be taking tokens) will be purchased using $3(+tax) drink tokens, available at our Token & ID Check stations, where you’ll also get wristbanded.

Vendors will price drinks in $3 increments (for example: $9 = 3 tokens), and each token you use goes directly to the vendor—no middleman cuts. We handle all the processing and logistics so vendors can focus on what they do best: serving you something excellent.

Want to skip the token line? CLICK HERE to view preorder options!
Purchase batches of tokens online before the event, pick them up at the blue Welcome Tent (corner of Orange & Crown) with a valid 21+ ID that matches your order name exactly. Pre-orders close the Wednesday before the Market at noon, and if you don’t make it to the event to pick them up, you’ll get a refund (minus any pesky processing fees).

Q: Is this event ADA accessible and okay for those with special needs?
A: This event takes place on a public street space and using spaces that are readily available in the downtown area, so folks in wheelchairs will be able to access sidewalks using regular street corner lowered curbs. The street is also open for pedestrian use. Most Market areas are paved, but please be advised some may not be. Most Market Happenings take place on the street and first floor businesses, but please be advised that some may not.
If you or anyone you’re attending with has any special sensory considerations, there will be areas with loud amplified music, particularly near the stages. Please plan to bring ear plugs or ear coverings if needed.
Night Markets do tend to get crowded, so please factor this into your planning for the evening as well. We don’t want your tinier puppies underfoot.

Q: Is this event family and pet friendly?
A: Absolutely! However, please leash or contain any furred or scaled children you bring along.

Q: I’m a non-food, non-arts/retail, non-nonprofit entity - how can I participate in a future Night Market?
A: The Night Markets do not offer tent/table spaces for entities that do not fit into the food, art/retail, or nonprofit category.
Instead, we have Activity Sponsors!
An Activity Sponsor hosts and staffs a free public activity that guests are able to participate in. This helps us enliven the Markets even further, and in turn, your apartment, bank, realty company, etc. will gain much more engagement than traditional info tabling.
With Activity Sponsorship, you receive a space at the Market and will have the opportunity to distribute and/or collect information from guests, all while hosting something fun. You will also receive a featured listing on the Happenings page on this website and the Market Map, directing folks to your Very Fun Thing.
If you are unable to host/staff an activity yourself, we may be able to pair you with a Very Fun Thing, and you will receive listings as the Sponsor just the same.
To discuss further, please reach out to us at:nhvnightmarket@gmail.com

Q: Do you offer volunteer opportunities?
A: We absolutely do! Our paid Market Staff are integral to many parts of the evening, and each one receives a very yellow t-shirt/future pajama shirt!
For volunteer opportunities you can click here to sign up!

Q: Will I be able to eat anything if I’m vegetarian/vegan?
A: Of course! Most food vendors may not serve only these items, but several street vendors will be vending vegetarian and vegan-friendly food items, as well as many of the brick-and-mortar restaurants within the Market area. You are also welcome to grab take-out from anywhere else you like and bring it to the Market to eat amid the ambiance.

Q: How can I become a vendor?
A: To learn about future vending opportunities the minute they go live, click here to fill out the Vendor Sign-Up Form and get your email on our mailing list.
We do solemnly swear that your email and personal information will not be used for anything other than communications regarding vending-related events.

Q: How can I become a performer?
A: We keep a list of artists, musicians, and entertainers who are interested in performing at future events! Click here to fill out the Musician/Entertainer Sign-Up Form.
We do solemnly swear that your email and personal information will not be used for anything other than communications regarding events and/or other performance opportunities.

Q: Who hosts this event?
A: Hi, our formal name is Town Green District, but our friends call us DowntownNHV! We are a Business Improvement District (or BID), which means we are a group funded by a sur tax on downtown New Haven properties and formed to fund special projects and improvements within district boundaries! Our core programs include clean & safe, placemaking, economic prosperity, marketing, events, and advocacy.
You can read all about us on our website here, including additional events we host.
You can also follow our DowntownNHV Instagram to stay in-the-know about downtown happenings!

Q: Where do the vendor fees go for this event?
A: We love transparency, so thank you for asking!
The Night Market believes in activating city streets, and there are many costs that come along with shutting streets down. Police presence that is required at several points in the Market layout costs a few thousand per event. We have the Fire Department present to handle emergencies as well. The closure permit itself is a few hundred. We pay Vending Department fees which are around or over a thousand per date for food vendors alone. Toilet rentals are required for your comfort, and making sure they are located in strategic areas, plentiful, and clean adds another few thousands dollars to the budget. We have 10-14 paid volunteers per Market who are the ones who assist vendors during load-in and guests during the Market at the Info Tent, Token Tents, and everywhere else! Our equipment sometimes needs replacing after years of use, so replacing tents, weights, etc. can be another thousand or more.
Our stage is a big part of the Markets, and we reserve $5,000 per Market budget on talent! In addition, our event posters are unique to each market, and we pay $350 per 2-3 artists to create them. We print these beautiful prints, along with postcards and other marketing materials to disperse throughout the City to spread awareness for a few hundred. Additional costs could be sponsoring DJ’s or pop-ups in local businesses or in partner locations, various entertainment “extras” like Salsa Parties, drag performances, extra special guests, etc.
Overall, the vendor income does not cover any Night Market’s total cost to produce, but luckily, profit is not our goal; we do this for the community, local businesses, and the feel-good vibes! We are thrilled to be able to run these events without raising costs to vendors, and offering opportunities like shared spaces for smaller vendors who may still want to join, but find the fee a bit too high.
Thanks for reading!

Q: I read all of this and still have a question - what should I do?
A: You can reach out to us at: nhvnightmarket@gmail.com and we will get back to you posthaste.
Unless it’s the day-of or before Night Market… Then we’re busy.

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Looking for our Attendee Code of Conduct?
Click here to view it: THE NIGHT MARKET ATTENDEE CODE OF CONDUCT