SF's Sunset Night Market returns with thousands of people hungry for food and a great time

Lauren Martinez Image
Saturday, August 31, 2024
SF's Sunset Night Market returns for 2nd year
Thousands of people headed to the Sunset Night Market on Friday. This was the event's second year.

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Thousands of people headed to the Sunset Night Market on Friday - hungry for food and a great time.

This was the event's second year.

San Francisco Supervisor Joel Engardio said last year, they had a crowd of 10,000 people show up - which led to some changes.

"We didn't know what to expect, so it was a good problem to have. And we ran out of food and too many people showed up. So this year, we decided to double the length. It's actually more than double the size," Engardio said.

RELATED: Asian-inspired night market has successful trial run in San Francisco's Sunset District

For the first time ever, San Francisco's Sunset neighborhood hosted an Asian-inspired night market Friday night.

Instead of three blocks, food, drink and shopping vendors were spread out over seven blocks.

"This is the best of the Sunset, right here on Irving Street," Engardio said.

Carmen Ho's family runs the Tasty Pastry. They weren't expecting the influx of people last year so they set up a table outside.

"We weren't ready for the amount of people so we were like oh my gosh this is actually insane so leading up to this we were just like lets get in on this have fun our whole family is here joining us even my grandma is here today," Ho said.

Some of their known specials include BBQ baked buns and curry wontons.

"I think like the whole Chinese culture of eating together, eating at night at a night market is something very engrained in our culture," Ho said.

MORE: SF night markets aim to help revitalize city by taking it to the streets

Clemente Street in San Francisco's Richmond District was packed Saturday evening for a second summer night market.

One of the highlights -the stinky tofu eating contest.

"I love stinky tofu cause I spent a summer in Hong Kong when I was eleven," one contender said.

Once the horn started, six brave men and women took to the challenge!

Our ABC7 News photographer Brian Yuen said he could smell it from his vantage point.

We did see lots of families and furry friends enjoying the delicious smells wafting through the Sunset Night Market.

Becca Gularti and her family live locally.

"It's great to see more things happening in the community so overall it's just really nice to see more things like this happening," Gularti said.

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