For anyone still clutching pearls over the idea that San Francisco’s glory days are behind it, the Sunset Night Market on August 30th was the loud, colorful reminder they needed: this city is still very much here. And it never really went anywhere.
The event doubled in size from its overture last year, drawing an estimated 20,000 attendees to tents, bouncy castles and performances along Irving Street between 19th and 27th avenues — or around there. We spotted everything from belly dancers to artisan jewelry and food, alongside lots of campaign flyers and even a controversial Trump table parked outside.
Supervisor Joel Engardio — who initially thought up the event — mugged in selfies, gave speeches, and generally beamed at his stand-out accomplishment. And he should be proud. London Breed also made an appearance but admittedly we missed her; She is flashing her smile at all the big events this campaign season.
More than 50 food vendors lined the street, offering everything from Filipino street food by Señor Sisig to the controversial (and crowd-polarizing) stinky tofu, which drew both curious tasters and those who kept a safe distance. And it felt like easy listening was everywhere — from jazz to singers belting out 90s and 2000s Millennial karaoke covers at several intersections.
“It’s all the great food, great restaurants, and stinky tofu — yes. That is really why I’m here,” said Franco Finn, pictured above; he’s a local NBA “hypeman” and member on the SF film commission.
The contest drew a lot of eyeballs and stinky breath. The idea came from Supervisor Joel Engardio, whose husband is a Taiwanese immigrant. The couple loves stinky tofu, especially from the famous Raohe Street Night Market in Taipei. They wanted to bring that same lively, aromatic chaos to San Francisco. “Smells like hell, tastes like heaven!” chef Martin Yan commented.
In between dance numbers, we also took part in a yoga demo, spotted a cooking demo and grabbed some boba tea — sans boba. A lot of these street fairs are simply walking up and down and taking in the sight of so many people crammed in one place. We’re grateful for the relief from last year’s confinement to just a few blocks; the extra space made the whole crowdflow less like sardines. Although even as a family-friendly event, incorporating a little booze would have been a great addition to Sunset Night Market.
This was more than just a feast for the eyes, ears, and mouth, though; it was a love letter to the city’s constant want to party and engage, and a reminder that San Francisco’s still got it. Can’t wait for the next one? No problem: Sunset Night Market returns to us on Sept. 27th.
Courtney Muro is a San Francisco-based content strategist, producer, designer, and creator. Saul Sugarman is editor in chief of The Bold Italic.
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More photos from Sunset Night Market — Aug. 30, 2024
All photos by Courtney Muro for The Bold Italic.
