On Oct. 23, the Asian Student Alliance (ASA) held their first ever Asian Night Market in the CCOM Grand Forum. This event had food, vendors, music and a chance for attendees to connect as the fall quarter hurdles to an end.
In the United States, Asian night markets are usually held in May, Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, as a celebration of Asian culture and heritage. The tradition actually dates back to the ninth century during the Tang Dynasty.
These informal gatherings relied on visitors who were unable to visit during working hours. Merchants that could not afford stalls in the daytime would flood the streets with carts and carrying poles to sell their goods.
Night markets attracted a swarm of many different kinds of people, rich and poor, to gather and purchase goods. The Tang government put a ban on night markets in 836 A.D., but they kept happening anyway.
As Chinese immigrants spread overseas, so did night market culture. Night markets began popping up in Southeast Asia, Taiwan, the Philippines and eventually the United States post-World War II.
This tradition has found roots at the University of Denver too.
“We don’t really have a huge event in the fall. So we thought we should do something for the community,” said ASA’s vice-president, Elana Yu.
The Denver Clarion // Madison James
ASA’s Night Market sold little trinkets like stickers, pins and squishies which attendees could purchase as a way to support ASA. There was also plenty of food, made by the ASA executive board, which included fried rice, potstickers, lumpia, tteokbokki, miso soup, gyoza and mango fruit tea with popping boba.
There was also a photobooth and DJ. The event space offered the chance to catch up with friends and be in community, with over 30 participants.
This is not the only event that ASA will host. More details about ASA’s annual Lunar New Year celebration will be released around February. This is always a popular event and a favorite among the DU community with games, music and other festivities for everyone to enjoy.
“[ASA] is going great. Our engagement from the new freshman and undergraduates are pretty good. We’re really excited for the rest of the year,” Yu remarked.
