Page 23 - 05_June-2025

Cool Stuff
Nights
Like These
Breweries and night markets
reclaim an industrial corridor
In the Ritchie neighbourhood, a
stretch of 99th Street once known
mostly for warehouses and light
industry is quietly becoming one
of Edmonton’s most people-
friendly spaces. What started with
a few breweries has turned into
something bigger — and brighter.
The Grand Night Market, hosted
along the corridor now branded
as Happy Beer Street, has brought
thousands of Edmontonians out to
walk, shop and mingle after hours.
It’s part of a growing series of
seasonal street fairs organized by
Grand Markets Edmonton, which
debuted on 124 Street and has
since expanded to multiple
locations, including Ritchie. From
5 to 10 p.m., the market turns this
formerly car-first corridor into a
high-energy pedestrian zone with
local vendors, live music, food
trucks and pop-up bars.
Kirsta Franke, founder of
Grand Markets Edmonton says the
breweries on Happy Beer Street
have done an incredible job build-
ing up the area. It’s only because
they’ve established such a strong
presence that the Grand Markets
could build on that foundation.
“We come in and create things
that generate more foot traffic,
that are mutually beneficial for
the retailers and the breweries in
the area.”
That’s no small feat in a city
that runs on gasoline. Edmonton’s
wide roads and low density often
make walkable gathering spaces
feel out of reach. That’s why
reclaiming streets for foot traffic
— even temporarily — feels
meaningful.
What also makes the Grand
Night Market work is its timing.
Traditional markets cater to
daytime shoppers, but Franke’s
series captures the unique magic
of Edmonton’s summers, where
daylight lingers past 10 p.m. It’s
a softer entry into nightlife —
something between a family-
friendly festival and a night out.
“We’re reaching a much broader
audience with our Night Markets,”
Franke says. “I would definitely
say we’ve seen [the Ritchie mar-
kets] be a little more higher traffic
than any of our other locations.”
-Areeha Mahal
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