june 13, 2014

Friday, June 13, 2014 Richmond Review · Page W1Page W4 · Richmond Review Friday, June 13, 2014

Friday-Saturday7pm-12am

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Founded in the year 2000 by entrepreneur Ray-mond Cheung, and fi rst held at the Conti-nental Centre strip mall on Cambie Road, the Richmond Night Market has from modest beginnings grown to become an international attraction, and one of North America's largest outdoor markets.

Year after year since it fi rst opened, atten-dance at the market continued to grow, forcing Cheung to relocate to the massive parking lot beside Lansdowne Centre shopping mall.

But again, the night market became a victim of its own success, and the attraction had to relocate to fi nd a more suitable location for the massive crowds, including the current site of the River Rock Casino Resort, as well as another location on Vulcan Way.

After a four-year hiatus during which Cheung ea-gerly sought a new location elsewhere in the Lower Mainland, he fi nally hit paydirt in 2011 at Duck Island, at the northwest corner of Lulu Island, and just a stone's throw away from the Bridgeport Sta-

tion of the Canada Line.

The new 18-acre site is double the previous location's area, is more centrally located, has better access to public transit, including the multi-billion dollar

Canada Line, as well as bus service to other parts of the Lower Mainland.

With the venue secured in 2011, Cheung went about tailor-making the site to accomodate

his grand plans for the market's return in 2012.

And he did exactly that, after securing support from Richmond city council, which gave him a two-year operating permit for the site next to the River Rock Casino Resort.

Dubbed the Return of the Dragon, the 2012 market drew more than 750,000 people to the new water-front location off No. 3 Road, at River Road, making it a massive success.

Then in 2013, Cheung continued his committment to keep his night market fresh and new, by intro-ducing the Magical Duck Island Adventure board game, which featured more than $100,000 in prizes, with the grand prize being an airplane ticket to the winner's destination of choice, anywhere in the world.

Also added were larger-than-life duck fi gurines dressed in international costumes and colours, which provided visitors with a curious photo op-portunity.

Also new was a carnival area, where kids had a space of their own to have fun.

But what kept visitors coming back was the quality of the 250 merchandise vendors and more than 100 food booths in the international food fair, which had something to suit all tastebuds.

Raymond Cheung has done it again.

The founder of the original Richmond Night Market, who every year keeps the crowds coming back by offering a mix of great entertainment, food and a picturesque backdrop, manages to somehow re-imagine the waterfront market to keep it fresh, new and exciting.

The 2014 version of the Richmond Night Market doesn't disappoint.

This year's theme is Magical Candyland, with a candy-coloured and candy-covered fantasy area, where kids are invited into the Candy Castle, where they pose for pictures and sample sweets from around the world.

This year's event features an expanded carnival area, where visitors can test their skills as they try to win oversized stuffed toys.

For the best deal, visitors are encouraged to purchase the $4 coupon book, which of-fers $40 in value of games at the carnival area.

Coupon books are available at the entrance to the market, but later this season, will also be for sale at booths sprinkled throughout the site.

With some 200 retail booths, and 84 food booths, the

Richmond Night Market has no shortage of things to see and do.

It's certainly come a long way since opening at Conti-nental Centre on Cambie Road.

It wasn't until it opened for the fi rst time at Lansd-owne Centre, that locals really got a feeling for how massive this market is.

Before moving to Duck Island, the market was also located behind the Home Depot, on Vulcan Way, and even on the current site of the River Rock Casino Resort.

The Richmond Night Market is located at the north end of No. 3 Road, just west of the River Rock Casino Resort, and a stone's throw away from the Bridgeport Station of the Canada Line.

It runs through Monday, Oct. 13 and is open from 7 p.m. to midnight on

Fridays and Saturdays, and from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Sundays and statutory holidays.

Admission is $2.25 (children 10 and under and seniors 60 and over are free), but people planning to visit the market

more than once are encouraged to purchase a Zoom Pass, which offers two free bonus admissions for the $10 Zoom Pass, and fi ve free bonus admissions for the $20 Zoom Pass.

The 14th annual Richmond Night Market draws more

than 10,000 visitors each weekend eve-

Richmond Night Market celebrated this opening with its traditional cake-cutting ceremony, where local VIPs including Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie and MP Joe Peschisolido participated.

The Richmond Night Market was fi rst introduced to Richmond resident in 2000, when it opened at Continental Centre on Cambie Road.

The market then relocated to Lansdowne Centre mall, where it drew thousands of people nightly.

Before moving to its current location at Duck Island, next to the River Rock Casino Resort at the north end of No. 3 Road, the night market was held behind the Home Depot, on Vulcan Way.