In 2015, inspired by night markets throughout Taiwan, John Wang ’09 JD, ’09 MBA, founded the Queens Night Market, an open-air night market featuring up to 100 independent vendors selling food, merchandise, and art, and featuring small-scale cultural performances, all celebrating the rich cultural diversity and heritage of NYC and Queens. Now in its eighth season, the wildly popular and uniquely affordable event has launched nearly 400 brand new businesses in NYC and represented over 90 countries through its vendors and their food. The market averages over 15,000 visitors on summer Saturdays and has welcomed well over 2 million visitors since its inception.
Hear how this former corporate lawyer came to start a culinary and cultural phenomenon that has earned many accolades including: #1 Cheap Eats (New York Times, 2017), #1 Place to Eat Outdoors (NY Magazine, 2019), #9 Best Restaurant in NYC (New York Times, 2023) and how his Yale experience influenced him.
