The Richmond Night Market has closed: what it was and where to find summer night markets now

For more than two decades, a summer weekend in Metro Vancouver often meant a trip to the Richmond Night Market. It was a large outdoor market of food stalls, shops and entertainment, held in the evening from spring through early autumn. The 2026 season was its last, with an expiring lease given as the reason, and the final day was 20 September 2026.

Anyone planning a summer evening there will find it closed. The habit of eating outdoors after dark is easy to keep, though, and the night markets and street food events below fill the gap.

What was the Richmond Night Market?

It was a seasonal market that ran on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings, with food stalls as the main draw. The operator described hundreds of food items on offer and over a hundred shops, along with live performances and a zipline. Its 2026 season ran from late April to 20 September, and the operator called it the 26th and final year.

It was always a food-first event. Visitors often walked the rows for skewers, bubble tea, fried snacks, soft ice cream and other novelties. The reputation came from the quantity and the novelty as much as the quality, and many people came simply to share a long evening with friends and family.

Why did it matter?

Night markets are a tradition in Taiwan and across East and South-East Asia, and Richmond's version brought that culture to a Canadian suburb. It gave small food businesses and food-truck-style operators a place to reach a large crowd in a short season. It also became a summer habit for many families in the region.

Where can you find summer night markets now?

Check current listings, since events change from year to year. Examples of what exists or has existed around the region:

• Shipyards Night Market, North Vancouver. A free Friday-evening market with food trucks, a beer garden, live music and vendors, held at Shipbuilders' Square in the Lower Lonsdale waterfront area. In 2026 it ran on Fridays from mid-May to mid-September, and it moved to a nearby street for part of the summer. Check the organizer's page for the next season.
• Street food and food truck events. Many Metro Vancouver cities hold festival days with food trucks in summer. The annual Vancouver food truck events and farmers markets are often the nearest equivalent.
• Local farmers markets. In summer, markets such as those in Trout Lake and Kitsilano add prepared food.
• Richmond itself. The Steveston waterfront has fresh seafood and a village feel in summer, and the Golden Village is open late for dumplings and bubble tea.

How do you find out if a market is open?

Search the event's name with the year, then look for an official site or social account. Look for the dates, the hours, how to get there, the admission cost, and whether payment is cash only. Weather and special events can change the plan, so check on the day.

What should you know before you go to any night market?

• Bring cash and a card. Many stalls take both, but some do not.
• Go early if you have children. Crowds build after dark.
• Eat in rounds. Share a few small items rather than buying a large plate at the first stall.
• Check allergen information. At a busy stall, ask directly, and avoid it if you cannot get a clear answer.
• Take transit if it is offered. Parking at big events is limited.

What did the market get right, and what can you borrow from it?

The best part of the market was never one dish. It was the habit of eating many small things in one evening, with friends, standing up. You can copy that anywhere. Pick a street with several takeout counters, such as Alexandra Road in Richmond's Golden Village, give everyone a small budget and meet at the end to compare. Many stalls also sell a single item cheaply, which makes trying five things cost about the same as one restaurant main.

What happens to the vendors?

Some of the market's food businesses also run restaurants, shops or trucks. Many will turn up at other events. Following a vendor on social media is the surest way to find where they will be next.

How do you remember a favourite stall?

Take a photo of the stall sign as well as the food, because names are easy to lose. Then rate the dish in the Mosey app: a skewer, a bubble tea and a bag of fried snacks each get their own rating, with a tag if you want to say what it was like. A list of the night-market dishes you would eat again, shared with the friends you went with, makes the next summer's plan easy. Rate one dish from your last night market as soon as you get home, while you still remember it.

More guides to read next:

• Ordering delivery in BC: what the fee cap covers, what you still pay and how to save
• BC liquor rules for diners: bringing your own wine, ID, PST on drinks and what is on the bill
• Kelowna food and wine guide: Bernard Avenue, the farmers market and winery lunches

More in the Canadian food guides and the ranked lists of places.