The city of Santa Clara hosted two night markets full of food, culture, music and art as a way to celebrate the city’s cultural identity.
The night market took place 6.5 miles north of San José State in Santa Clara on Saturday.
The event marked the first night market the city has done. Decorations, colorful lights and live music livened up the street for visitors.
Good Time Collective, a Bay Area cover band, performed popular songs by Bruno Mars, Jay Z and Justin Bieber.
Mary Anne, the owner of Yours Truly, Mary Anne and a San José State alumnus, said she enjoyed the live music that was provided.
“The vibe is great,” Anne said. “The live music here is my favorite part.”
Isaiah Rojas, the executive director for i9 Sports, said he appreciated the event for being a place that families can enjoy.
“It’s been very busy even though the weather’s kind of cold,” Rojas said. “It’s been a steady crowd the entire time with lots of families, so it’s been a great environment.
Aside from music, food vendors offered a variety of options such as Korean barbeque, pizza, pastries and cookies among other dishes.
The Korean barbeque truck consistently had a long line for its teriyaki chicken rice plate topped with a spicy orange sauce available at the customer’s discretion.
Drinks such as lemonade and coffee provided by vendors like Drae’s Lemonade were also readily available.
Artists such as LilyPoppyStudio, Mochi Mint Creations and Cozy Scribble sold their artwork with a variety of media to gander at.
Anne said it’s important to attend markets in order to draw people to her eventual storefront.
Anne sells clothing and stationary items all of which have mental health reminders or puns.
“It’s all about doing these events and talking to people in person,” Anne said. “It’s what I love most because I can build community and get the word out about mental health and try to decrease the stigma that it has.”
Anne said she aims to connect her passions of writing and artistry to her business.
Anne is expecting to open a storefront in San Pedro Square Market in the next month, bringing her apparel from booths at markets to one store.
Rojas ran a booth at the event to demonstrate i9 Sports’ mission to help children succeed in life through sports.
“We see sports as a vehicle to teach the kids sportsmanship, teamwork, positivity and a healthy active lifestyle,” Rojas said.
Rojas was invited by the city of Santa Clara event organizers to attend. He plans to attend the future markets coming in June and July.
The markets also held special experiences for guests to take part in, including a spray paint experience and a brush lettering workshop, teaching people basic artistic techniques and how to create their own art.
More night markets are scheduled later this year, one between June 5-6 and another between July 17-18.
