Last week, we had a quick overview of everything you need to know about the International Summer Night Market in Richmond, behind the Home Depot by Vulcan Way. This week, we’re turning to the even bigger Richmond Night Market, which is organized by the same Raymond Cheung who brought the original Richmond Night Market to town so many years ago. If you’re ready to greet that massive duck with some stinky tofu again, then this is the guide for you.
What Is Richmond Night Market?
The fundamental appeal of Richmond Night Market is the same as the Summer Night Market, except this version is larger and involves a giant yellow duck. Go figure. Last year’s market saw a total of 80 food booths, stocked with all sorts of delectable street eats, along with some 250 retail booths selling a variety of merchandise.
Where Is It?
Richmond Night Market is officially located at 8351 River Road in Richmond, BC. That’s close to the intersection at No. 3 Road and it’s a short walk away from the River Rock Casino Resort and the Bridgeport Station on the Skytrain line.
Much like its Summer Night Market counterpart, Richmond Night Market is also bordered by the water, though some four kilometres down the line. If you wanted, you could actually drive all the way down River Road from one night market to the other.
Hours of Operation
The 2014 Richmond Night Market will open for the season on next Friday, May 16th and it will run through to (Canadian) Thanksgiving on Monday, October 13th. What that means is that while it opens one week later than Summer Night Market, it also runs for one month longer. It’s not exactly summer anymore in October, but there you have it.
The hours are virtually identical to Summer Night Market:
- Fridays and Saturdays: 7pm to 12am
- Sundays and Stat Holidays: 7pm to 11pm
My guess is that on Sundays preceding statutory holiday Mondays, the night market will likely open until midnight as well, even if the website is listing it as 11pm.
Admission Price
The critical difference between the two night markets in Richmond used to be how they chose to charge attendees, but now they are effectively the same. General admission is $2.25 (subject to change) to Richmond Night Market, but children under 10 and seniors over 60 are free.
There is also something called a “Zoom Pass” where you can buy multiple admissions at a discounted price. The $10 pass gets you a total of 7 admissions, while the $20 pass gets you a total of 15 admissions. These are fully transferable, so it’s worthwhile if you’re going as a group or plan on coming back a few times over the course of the summer.
Parking and Transit
On-site parking is complimentary at Richmond Night Market. That being said, I’ve heard all sorts of horror stories about massive lineups both to get into and to get out of the parking lot, so you’ll want to keep that in mind if you are driving there. If you do choose to drive, you are advised to take No. 3 Road to access the site rather than taking Great Canadian Way.
A better idea is to take the Canada Line to the Bridgeport Station, which is about a 7-minute walk away from Richmond Night Market.
Eat, Shop and Play
Going to the night market has become an annual tradition for both the residents of and visitors to the Vancouver area. You can browse through the gadgets, clothing, purses and other trinkets that the vendor booths have to offer, then you can indulge in your choice of street food too.
As I mentioned several years ago, bring cash if you plan on buying anything. While I imagine some vendors may accept debit or credit, the overwhelming majority are cash only. Any ATMs you find on site will likely charge you a transaction fee.
Some people will say that if you’ve been to one night market one year, you’ve been to them all. There is some truth to that, as you’ll find the same curry fish balls, the same bubble waffles and the same BBQ skewers as you find every year. Then again, Richmond Night Market gives you something to do on one of those hot summer nights… and you certainly won’t be the only one there.
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