Cities are experimenting with after-dark markets to bring foot traffic back to quiet downtown cores.Vendors selling street food, crafts, and secondhand goods set up under string lights once office workers head home, drawing crowds that daytime retail alone couldn't. Organizers say the format is cheap to run compared to festivals, needing little more than permits, lighting, and a rotating vendor list. Several cities report measurable upticks in nearby restaurant and bar revenue on market nights.
