Another record night market

Another record night market

The Queen Victoria Market’s (QVM) winter night market continues to outperform, with another record season attendance this year.

With still another week to go – the final winter night market for this season is being held on Wednesday, August 29 – average attendance has already smashed all previous records.

According to QVM chief executive Stan Liacos, an average of 33,000 people attended the 2018 winter night market – up on last year’s average attendance of 28,098.  The numbers have been rising every year since the first winter night market in 2013, when an average of 9652 patrons attended.

And, also this year, the winter night market has outstripped the last summer night market season, when the average attendance was 28,842 – down from a high of 40,520 in 2014/15.

“We have had 11 winter night markets this year to date.  We have two to go,” Mr Liacos said.  “At this rate, we are likely to fall on about 30,000 - 32,000 patrons per evening.  At this rate our winter night market will exceed the average on our summer night market! Who would have thought that!”

Despite the winter night market outperforming its summer counterpart, fewer traders take part in the colder weather.

Mr Liacos said: “At winter night markets we typically have about 120 traders, with about. 35 being food based).  At summer night markets we typically have around 170 traders with about 60 of those food based.  Typically, for both, about 40 per cent of night market traders are also day traders of QVM.”

Mr Liacos said a new night market would soon be announced to run through the spring season.

“We’re not calling it the spring night market,” he said. “It will have a more strongly focused Asian theme and will run for about eight Wednesday nights.  We’ll be making an announcement about that soon.”

“Our target is to have a Wednesday-based night market for every Wednesday of the year within two years.  Given our success so far, we think we can achieve this.”

“This is good for QVM but, importantly, great for Melbourne, locals and tourists!  We’re proud that the winter night market continues to be a firm favourite on the event calendar."

Since Labor has been in power …

Since Labor has been in power …

March 20th, 2024 - Evan Mulholland
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