San Francisco, CA – Today, Mayor London N. Breed, the Office of Economic Workforce and Development (OEWD), Into the Streets, and Non Stop Bhangra will kick off a new season of the highly-successful Bhangra & Beats Night Market series in Downtown San Francisco. Once again, three City blocks centered around Battery and Clay streets will transform into a vibrant cultural nightlife destination and marketplace offering an immersive experience featuring live music, retail vendors, and an array of food options.
In 2023, Bhangra & Beats Night Market quickly became a must-go-to event in San Francisco, attracting a staggering 30,000 attendees to Downtown across three events. Following last year's success, Bhangra and Beats Night Market returns with four free night markets to be held on May 10, July 12, September 13, and November 15. The series will culminate with the City and County of San Francisco's Inaugural Diwali Celebration on November 15.
"The success of Bhangra and Beats shows us that people from all over the Bay Area and beyond want to come to Downtown San Francisco for a fun night out of music, food, dancing, and joy,” said Mayor Breed. “This is how we are thinking creatively and boldly as we write the next chapter of our Downtown and build an economically resilient City. I want to thank all our partners for making this happen, and everyone who is showing up to support our City."
Transform Downtown into a leading arts, culture, and nightlife destination is one of nine core strategies within Mayor Breed’s Roadmap to San Francisco's Future. Bhangra & Beats Night Market is a prime example of the initiatives currently underway to reinvigorate Downtown by making the area less reliant on the presence of office workers, increase foot traffic, and bolster local businesses. Since 2022, Mayor Breed has invested $10 million to support Downtown events and activations.
“The Bhangra & Beats Night Market series is more than just another suite of great evenings Downtown - it’s a celebration that underscores our City’s cultural richness, diversity and community empowerment,” said Sarah Dennis Phillips, Executive Director of the Office of Economic and Workforce Development. “We’re thrilled that this successful series will once again take over Downtown’s streets for dining, drinking, and dancing.”
San Francisco is a hub for world-class cuisine, art, shopping, and cultural experiences, and large events like Bhangra & Beats contribute to the City’s vibrancy and economic recovery. During the event series last year, attendees spent over $1.3 Million at Downtown San Francisco businesses.
The list of 17 food vendors for the inaugural Bhangra and Beats event today include Bini’s Kitchen, Lahore di Khushboo, and New Delhi Restaurant. The 24 retail vendors that comprise the Night Bazaar, include Golden Coast Candle Co., Handmade by Pmaccay, and San Franpyscho. Additionally, Into the Streets and Non Stop Bhangra are partnering with hotels, restaurants, entertainment venues, and other establishments this season to provide attendees a comprehensive guide, “SF Weekender”, to enhance their experiences prior and after the events and encourage them to stay for the weekend.
"The launch of Bhangra & Beats in 2023 kicked off a new era of night markets in San Francisco," said Katy Birnbaum, CEO/Founder of Into The Streets. “We are delighted to hit the streets again this year in community with the dozens of other night markets popping up across the City."
The first event of the series, hosted by Deuce Eclipse, will include performances from Non Stop Bhangra and various other acts.
"Following the tremendous feedback from last year's Bhangra & Beats Night Market, we are excited and grateful for another season,” said Bhangra & Beats co-producers, Non Stop Bhangra. “This event is not just a market; it's a vibrant, joyful celebration that beautifully reflects the diversity of the Bay Area, and we are honored to collaborate with Into The Streets and the City of San Francisco to help bring it to life again. We can't wait to see you in the street."
"New Delhi Restaurant is the oldest Indian Restaurant in San Francisco. Along with being the first and only Indian restaurant to become a San Francisco Legacy Business, we have been in the business of educating people about the beauty and wonder of India. Finally seeing our Indian culture represented in the streets via Bhangra & Beats brings us such joy,” said Chef Ranjan Dey, owner of New Delhi Restaurant. “We are so excited to be back again for a second year and cannot wait to see what comes as we turn this into an annual celebration! This program has also lent us a hand to survive the ongoing effects of COVID. We're excited to see people fill the streets once again."
"The Downtown SF Partnership is thrilled about the return of Bhangra & Beats to the downtown Financial District,” said Robbie Silver, Executive Director of Downtown SF Partnership. “Vibrant cultural activations that boost the nightlife economy are paramount for the San Francisco’s comeback and renaissance, reshaping the way people interact with public spaces while supporting our local businesses."
Bhangra and Beats Night Market is presented by Into the Streets and Non Stop Bhangra in partnership with the Office of Mayor London N. Breed and OEWD. Media and community partners include Advance SF, Downtown SF Partnership, New Delhi Restaurant, 106.1KMEL, and Wild 92.3.
For additional information on the event series, full list of vendors, and performers lineup, visit www.bhangraandbeats.com.
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