Thursday nights will be packed in downtown Nanaimo through the end of August. Season two of the popular Commercial St. Night Market debuts Thursday, June 20. (Dirk Heydemann/HA Photography)

By Ian Holmes

Downtown buzz

Vastly expanded Nanaimo night market debuts for second season

Jun 20, 2019 | 12:50 AM

NANAIMO — A much bigger Commercial St. Night Market experience hits Nanaimo Thursday nights for the rest of the summer.

The second annual Greater Nanaimo Chamber of Commerce event debuts Thursday, June 20 with a significant jump in the number of vendors.

Chamber CEO Kim Smythe said 130 booths will be set up this year, compared to around 70 on hand last year.

“Every square inch of Commercial St. and Diana Krall Plaza is covered by a vendor,” Smythe told NanaimoNewsNOW. “We don’t have any down space.”

The market runs from 5 to 9 p.m. Thursday evenings through the end of August on a closed-off Commercial St.

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Smythe said a range of Vancouver Island-based vendors will provide everything from a wide range of crafts to clothing, accessories, fruits and veggies and baked goods.

Roughly 20 different vendors will rotate in on a drop-in basis, with about 10 food trucks in Diana Krall Plaza and weekly on-street entertainment.

Most Commercial St. merchants will remain open during market hours, Smythe said.

“Have a stroll on the waterfront, show off our fabulous harbour to visitors and just experience the livelihood, excitement and exuberance of that street atmosphere that we’re building.” _{Kim Smythe}

Smythe said an estimated 5,000 people attended the Commercial St. Night Market weekly last summer.

Motorists should note the Bastion St. Bridge is closed for resurfacing work. The key link to and from downtown is scheduled to re-open to vehicular traffic on June 29.

ian@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes