Asian Night Market
On Saturday night, fragrant Asian street food booths greeted Exonians as they filed into Grainger auditorium for the annual Asian Night Market. The market was organized by a student group called the Asian Advisory Board, which dedicates hours of time and effort each year to make sure the event is culturally informative and exciting for all. It began at 8 P.M. in Grainger Auditorium, but by 7:45 P.M. a line of students was eagerly waiting to receive four blue tickets, which could be exchanged for food at the various booths free-of-charge. At 8:30 P.M., students left the food booths to watch their peers perform a variety of dances that celebrated their respective cultural backgrounds.
Each booth was set up and run by a club that represented a specific region or country in Asia. The clubs that were present included Pinoy Society, Association of Southeastern Asian Nations (ASEAN), Subcontinent Society, Japanese American Society, Chinese Student Organization, Korean Society and an unofficial Thai Club. With such a large variety of clubs participating, there was an abundance of unique and tasty food. Exonians were overwhelmed by the colorful and lively environment of the market, as well as the enchanting aromas of fresh food. On the left side of the room, students were invited to try many different traditional Asian food dishes, from dumplings and sushi to Thai fried rice and bubble tea.
The Asian Advisory Board worked to make the environment of the marked as authentic as possible. In fact, some of the people who help make this night come to life find the transformation of Grainger to be their favorite part of the experience. As said by lower Adrian Kyle Venzon, a member of the Asian Advisory Board, “the most memorable part of the night was the initial set up for the event.” This feeling was echoed by lower Elizabeth Yang, another member of the Asian Advisory Board. “My favorite part is always watching the transformation occur, where Grainger goes from a completely empty space to an actual market—with a sea of Exonians milling about the colorful, elaborate booths,” Yang said.
For Venzon, the night market provided an opportunity to connect with people with a similar a love for their cultural background, and to share their respective cultures with the larger student body. “For me, the night market is a chance for me to share with others a literal taste of the Philippines as well as to celebrate my own culture,” he said. “It was awesome being around so many people who shared a love for our individual Asian backgrounds, and we worked really hard to make the event happen.” Yang felt similarly about the purpose of the event. “The aim of the Asian Night Market is always to unite and bond the Asian affinity groups within Exeter, and also spread our culture to the rest of the community,” she said. Venzon also said that the event went notably well this year, and that, despite the large turnout, crowds were under control and wait times were manageable. Elizabeth Yang echoed Venzon’s sentiment. “Firstly, with more spread-out booths, people were able to actually move through the crowd this year, without the sacrifice of a market-like environment,” Yang said. “Also, the food lasted throughout the night and did not run out, rewarding those who stayed to enjoy the market longer with more food tickets. And finally, the tables outside, for calligraphy, origami and henna, were constantly full and very popular.”
As for the future of the Asian Night Market, the Advisory Board is determined to ensure that the tradition continues. Yang also said that the board hopes to use the night to share not just Asian culture and food, but also to address some of the more meaningful issues faced by the Asian community. “Asian Advisory Board hopes
to use this night as an opportunity to talk about some more serious topics about Asians in this country,” Yang said. “Ideas include bringing a speaker or showing a video that brings up some important issue Asians face,” she said.
The Asian Night Market’s success and impact on our community continues to grow year by year. The Asian Advisory Board hopes that, in the future, the Market will continue to draw Exonians from all races together to celebrate and learn about Asian culture in a fun environment. “I think this event is a huge part of the community, and everyone is welcome to enjoy it,” Venzon said.