The 10th Jade International Night Market is this Saturday, August 29th, from 4 to 10 p.m. within the Portland Community College’s Southeast campus at 2305 SE 82nd Avenue. Since 2014, this evening event has offered food, entertainment, and vendor booths from area groups while providing a space for the community to gather and celebrate the people who make up the multicultural district.

The one-day community gathering focuses its family-friendly events earlier in the afternoon, including a free plant-potting booth for youth sponsored by Portland Nursery. People ages 20 and younger can decorate a free pot and fill it with a selection of donated plants, while supplies last. Event organizers have added a scavenger hunt and brought back the Luminous Together’s Art Grove. “The Art Grove is back again and expanded. It’s put on by a former APANO staff member who offers forest bathing, therapy, and interactive art,” explained APANO Community Development Director and lead Jade Night Market organizer Alisa Kajikawa. The Grove will include a meditative arts workshop, exhibition tours, and the Our Little Free Diverse Library. People can find this part of the market west of the food vendors in the wooded area where the PCC Learning Garden is located.

For the first time, attendees can participate in a Jade District-themed scavenger hunt. To win a prize, people need to find nine spots around the Night Market that feature placards highlighting the people and history of the Jade. The quest begins at the APANO booth where participants can get the details. Scavenger hunt materials are available in simplified Chinese, Vietnamese, and English. “There are questions about what they read, and they’ll just write down their answer. We’re not looking for the correct answer… but people need to write down what they think the answer is,” remarked Kajikawa. Completed forms are brought back to the booth for a reward.

Activities are optional, and many people attend specifically for the unique food and shopping experience. This year, 38 food vendors and drink specialists will sell tasty treats to attendees throughout the event. Over 90 other booths feature people selling arts, distinctive items, or offering information to the community. Scheduled speakers and performers will begin the entertainment on the main stage at 5 p.m., with a program that runs until 10 p.m.

The performances are always free to watch; still, event organizers wanted to make sure everyone has access to the cuisine and products available at the Night Market. Last year, the event’s leaders launched a program called Jade Dollars to lower financial barriers by giving out vouchers for both food and retail. “Everyone belongs [at the Night Market], and we do this for the community. There are tons of things that you don’t need money for to enjoy. At the same time, it’s still about commerce, and it’s still about supporting our small business owners. So we’ll have five-dollar increments of Jade Dollars that we will give out to folks in two different ways,” said Kajikawa. People can receive $10 worth of food vendor vouchers at the market information booth by showing government benefits like SNAP, WIC, or OHP cards. They only need to show the cards or prove enrollment; no individual data is collected. People can also complete a demographic survey to receive a $5 voucher towards retail items and participating booths.

Last year’s Jade International Night Market had an estimated 20,000 attendees, and they anticipate similar interest this year. The market will maintain last year’s layout, with food vendors along the west edge of the campus in the parking lot and booths lining the inner courtyard walkways. Unlike other fairs, Night Market organizers provide canopies, offering consistency and convenience to participants. “It looks nice because it’s all uniform with three different colors,” said Kajikawa. The main stage is north of the booths next to Tabor Hall.

People interested in attending the Jade International Night Market should plan on large crowds and limited parking options. Organizers recommend people take public transit via the TriMet 72 bus line or the SE Division FX 2 bus rapid transit system. People who bike, walk, or ride transit to the Night Market could earn a $10 gift card from the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) by stopping by their booth to claim the reward. Visitors who rent a bike to get to the Night Market will have a $25 credit from BIKETOWN by using code JADENIGHTMKT26 for applicable rides that start or end at the PCC campus during the event. Late August often brings warm temperatures. The campus has many shade-providing trees, but anticipate significant sun exposure while walking around. The Night Market’s web page and social media offer current updates about the event schedule and other information.

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