After a remarkably successful inaugural season as a weekly event, co-founders and organizers of the Chow Luck Club Foodie Market say it will be returning in series two as festival market events and themed pop-ups.
The markets will return on Sunday, June 15, with an “Old is Gold” theme featuring stalls with food items that evoke nostalgia alongside the Treasuring Our Seniors Expo at the Trusts Arena in Henderson.
Then they are back at ParkCity on Saturday June 28 for an “Ube Fiesta Market” in collaboration with Filipino Market New Zealand.
Other festivals that have been confirmed include a Durian Festival, an ‘Offaly Good’ fest, Malaysia Day, Loy Krathong Festival, and a Noodle Mania Market.
Chow Luck Club director Bee Koh says the market festivals aim at honouring the different cuisines, and bringing unique cultural and traditional experiences closer to Aucklanders.
“The objective of Chow Luck Club has always been about getting people to try new foods and gain a deeper understanding of the people and culture behind the dishes,” Bee said.
“The market has been an effective platform for us to get people embracing new culinary experiences and taking them on a journey of cultural appreciation and discovery.”
Following the success of the Lunar New Year and Songkran Thai New Year markets in its inaugural series, Bee said the markets promise to bring many interesting and unmissable experiences when they return.
Foodie Market co-founder, Cynthia Sim, said the market was created to “bring together diverse, authentic, and hard-to-find dishes in one location” while at the same time fostering community and supporting emerging food entrepreneurs.
“We are constantly seeking out new, authentic flavors and wanted to create a space where other foodies could do the same,” Cynthia said.
“At the same time, we wanted to offer a launchpad for passionate food vendors, many of whom are just starting and wouldn’t normally have the platform to share their cuisine.”
Vendors are also encouraged to share stories behind their dishes from “where the recipe comes from, what it means to them, or how it’s prepared traditionally”, Cynthia said.
“These stories add soul to the experience.”
While ParkCity in St John’s has been “home base” since December, the market’s director of operations, Clement Lim, said the event at Trust Arena will mark the start of its expansion plans beyond ParkCity.
“We envision a traveling market that will take what we plan to do into different suburbs, while staying true to our values of variety, authenticity, and cultural celebration,” Clement said.
Talks are still ongoing with prospective venues, Clement said, and these will be announced as they get confirmed.
At the markets, visitors can expect interesting food that they won’t get at restaurants, festive specialties, traditional snacks, cultural performances, and more.
For sponsorship, partnership, and festival stall enquiries, email at bee@chowluckclub.com or text 027 4830668.
These are some of the confirmed festivals and dates.
June 15 - “Old is Gold” foodie market (Trust Arena)
June 28- Ube Fiesta (ParkCity)
July 12 - Noodle Mania Festival(Takapuna)
July 26 - Offaly Good Festival (ParkCity)
Aug 9 - Singapore Day: Durian Festival (ParkCity)
Aug 30 - Merdeka Day Market
Sept 13 - Malaysia Day
October 4 - Moon Festival
November 1 - Loy Krathong
December 6 - Christmas Market
