Several blocks in Astoria will close for an inaugural Ramadan Night Market on Wednesday, April 3.
The food centered event—which will take place less than a week before Eid commemorates the end of the holy month—will bring together halal food vendors on Steinway Street between 25th and 28th Avenue starting at 9 p.m. The event is scheduled to end at 1 a.m. according to organizers.
Behind the initiative is Malikah, a grassroots organization based in Astoria that focuses on combating gender-based violence and hate crimes through self-defense training and community programming. With the goal of empowering women, Malikah’s four pillars are healing, self-defense, organizing and financial literacy.
In organizing the Ramadan Night Market, Malikah partnered with Instagram halal focused food influencers Muslim Foodies and Muzz, the world’s biggest Muslim dating app.
The event is free to attend but is serving as a fundraiser for Malikah. The funds raised will go towards keeping its center on Steinway Street open, and programs for women that take place in Queens.
So far, the vendors who plan to attend include Terry and Yaki, an Asian-style food truck that utilizes halal ingredients, and Sweets of Rampur, a dessert vendor that puts a South Asian spin on western desserts. All the food vendors at the festival will serve halal options. There will also be vendors selling merchandise like EGAHSI, a fragrance retailer based in New Jersey.
Throughout the month of Ramadan, Malikah has also been distributing free Iftar takeout meals outside its Steinway Street center in partnership with City Comptroller Brad Lander and Islamic Relief USA. It is one of seven community organizations to participate in “Iftar on the Go,” which made 8,500 meals available across the five boroughs.
This is the second year in a row that Malikah has participated in the food distribution. And Executive Director Rana Abdelhamid pointed out that this year, the free halal meals are especially beneficial to Muslim asylum seekers who are observing their first Ramadan in New York.
The final two Iftar takeout distributions will be held on April 3 and April 8 starting at 6 p.m. until supplies run out.
