SECRET BALI LIFESTYLE: THE NITE MARKET IN BERAWA
Markets have long been a viable option on a sunny afternoon in Bali and they are often very rewarding but there is a new one that has come to light that we feel deserved some extra attention and love for a couple of reasons.
First up this market takes place after dark, well sunset to be precise and this already gives it a different feel to the rest. Another advantage of holding the market at night time is that it is obviously cooler and therefore makes for a more pleasurable experience as you meander from stall to stall.
Then there is the vendors themselves, one criticism of a lot of the other markets in Bali is they all tend to be much of muchness with a lot of the same product on offer, but this one particular offering seems to be more concerned about quality over quantity.
Then of course there is the general energy of the market, with DJ’s, under a starlit sky, some beanbags thrown in for good measure and the perfect time to take advantage of the awesome food stalls dotted around the place.
With all of the above thrown into the mix you end up with a genuinely different experience and option for a night out with loved ones, friends or on your own whether looking for some time out or to meet and network some like-minded cats and creatives.
The guys behind this great little and innovative twist on a tried and tested concept kindly took 5 to answer a few questions for Secret Bali Life regarding the Nite Market which can be found in the community centric space that is Tamora Gallery.
WHAT WAS THE INSPIRATION BEHIND THE NITE MARKET AND WHAT SEPARATES IT FROM OTHER MARKETS IN BALI?
The inspiration for the Nite Market came from the current Canggu nightlife landscape – it seemed that a weeknight out meant pretty much sitting in a bar which is not everyone’s cup of tea. We wanted to create something that was suitable for all, and to showcase creative Bali based brands that were not always found at the more tourist-aimed markets. Other markets in the area tend to have a lot of the same kind of stalls whereas we wanted to create something a little different and more refined/curated. We’d been to night markets in other countries and it had always been a fun environment to eat, drink, shop and be merry.
HOW OFTEN DOES IT TAKE PLACE?
Currently we’re testing it out on a monthly basis, but there have already been requests to make it more frequent. I think we’ll run a couple more monthly until systems are in place to get something more regular going.
HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT CURATING THE VENDORS?
The first event took many hours, days, weeks of trawling through social media to find brands and contact them one by one. Its an arduous process but after the success of the launch we had more of a word of mouth situation on our hands, people were contacting us. Since then we have been digging a little deeper online to try to find emerging ones to watch, so we can shed light on these creative brands and keep our offering interesting. We are trying to steer away from the usual trinkets and common re-sold items found elsewhere (no disrespect to those of course!) Our focus aims to be mostly emerging brands and what we would deem ‘cool’ products. (if this sounds like you, please get in touch!)
HOW MANY VENDORS ARE YOU EXPECTING AT YOUR NEXT MARKET ON THURSDAY 19TH SEPTEMBER?
We’re still talking with various people but we hope to have a minimum of 20.
WHAT ENTERTAINMENT IS ON OFFER OTHER THAN THE STALLS THEMSELVES?
There is a DJ playing for the busiest hours of the evening (eclectic grooves, world music, disco), plus Genesis Creative Studio usually stick a video game console on which is projected on the wall in the café which is all open sided so sort of part of the market. They stay open late selling craft beers and the liquor store in the gallery stays open late for the hard-cores. We are aiming to incorporate more food stalls for this event and in future also. It’s a process, we look forward to seeing it unfold and evolve in time.
SUM UP THE NITE MARKET IN 3 WORDS!
Fun, creative, networking