Giant teddy bear statues, a 17-metre tall Eiffel Tower and the “biggest summer light show in North America” at 200,000 square-feet.
The re-branded “Illumination Night Market” — formerly the International Summer Night market — has a lot to live up to when it opens for business next month.
The market, on Vulcan Way, near Bridgeport and No. 5 roads, is taking steps to shift markedly away from its neighbor and competitor, the Richmond Night Market, close to the River Rock Casino.
And that, according to one of its promoters, means more entertainment and, as the new name suggests, thousands more bright lights.
“We wanted to kind of give Vancouver and Richmond more entertainment than the other night market by the river, where we don’t see too many new things,” said Illumination promoter Vala Huang, who added that they had thought of calling it the “Summer Light Market,” but didn’t go through with it.
“We also noticed the popularity of the Enchanted Christmas event at 1st Avenue and Main Street in Vancouver and we realized there is a market for this kind of entertainment for longer periods of time.
“We’re bringing in lighting designers from China and Korea to completely decorate our venue and there will also be teddy bear statues in different poses around the venue, that people will be able to take their pictures with.”
Vancouver and Richmond, added Huang, gets “kind of dull in the fall and winter, so we thought this could definitely brighten things up.”
As well as a fully LED-lit, 17-metre-tall Eiffel Tower —which Huang said drivers will be able to see while on the Knight Street Bridge — there’s going to be a “world travel theme” with global landmark buildings and thousands of lights and food to match.
Fun passports will also be given out to the public to collect stamps at various vendors to eventually exchange for gifts.
The giant teddy bears will be wearing costumes, representing different cultures from around the world.
The market will be surrounded with LED boards in different shapes that will run on a continuous animation, producing “dazzling effects,” according to the market’s promotion material.
“And we’re thinking of opening up for events such as Halloween and Chinese New Year, but that’s still in the planning stages,” said Huang.
As well as a gaming section, there will also be a kid’s zone equipped with a 700-square-foot air blow slide, a hip-pop culture corner, basketball court and photo spot.
The Illumination Night Market, with 200 retail and 60 food booths and two entertainment stages, will open April 28 and run until Sept. 10.
