A block of Northwest Davis Street in Old Town Chinatown turned into a Halloween night market Saturday, with nearly 30 vendors selling handmade goods, art and Asian-inspired food and drink from 2 to 10 p.m. A costume contest with cash prizes, a DJ and live performers rounded out the evening in a neighborhood that has spent years fighting empty storefronts and declining foot traffic.
The event was organized by the Old Town Community Association, according to The Oregonian/OregonLive, which reported that organizers hope to turn the block between Northwest Third and Fourth avenues into a recurring destination. Lori Wiechec, the association’s executive director, said regular foot traffic would benefit small and micro businesses in the area and that the market aims to bring positive activation to the neighborhood. A separate writeup from PDX Pipeline noted the costume contest started at 6 p.m., with a $100 cash prize for the winner and $50 for the runner-up.
Street Built for This Exact Moment
Northwest Davis and Flanders streets were reconstructed two decades ago as one-block, curbless festival streets, designed to close easily for festivals and function as public squares, per the Oregonian/OregonLive report. The streets already occasionally host Chinese New Year and other Asian cultural celebrations, making them a natural fit for a recurring market. Tommy Ly, who owns GeekEasy Anime Café and helped organize the night market, said Old Town Chinatown is neglected and that he wants to help bring it back — pointing to neighbors like Kasbah Moroccan Café, Golden Horse Seafood Restaurant and Old Town Pizza & Brewing as the kind of businesses worth supporting.
A holiday night market is planned for Dec. 5, with the Oregonian/OregonLive reporting that more events are expected to follow next year. PDX Pipeline reported that the Halloween event is the first of a two-event pilot, with the two holiday markets produced by the Old Town Community Association in partnership with Ly’s GeekEasy Anime Cafe, which manages vendors. City Council Vice President Olivia Clark has already committed $20,000 from her office budget to the association to fund 10 additional markets throughout 2027, according to the same Oregonian/OregonLive report, which notes the money will cover security services, portable sanitation, lighting, barricades and street closure.
Funding and a Public-Safety Pitch
The two pilot markets received a Prosper Portland grant of $1,500 per market, the outlet reported, with Trailhead Credit Union contributing another $700 per market for decorations. PDX Pipeline, however, described the funding differently, reporting a $3,000 Uniquely Portland grant from Prosper Portland’s Portland Events and Film Office and $1,500 from Old Town Bank Trailhead Credit Union — figures that don’t match the Oregonian/OregonLive’s numbers. Local businesses and neighbors also provided in-kind support, according to the Oregonian/OregonLive account…