Kweilin Street Night Market

Kweilin Street Night Market is a commercial and social activity that unlicensed hawkers set up their mobile food stores and stalls to sell local street foods and groceries in Kweilin Street (桂林街), Sham Shui Po in Hong Kong.

Typically, the street provides various goods and meets residents' needs with stores, shops and restaurants. Yet, during the first to third day of Chinese New Year, which are public holidays in Hong Kong, shops in Kweilin Street would be closed and Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) officers who are supposed to crack down those unlicensed hawkers go off duty. Hawkers seize the opportunity to develop their businesses there, attracting large amounts of locals. However, the night market is controlled by Hong Kong government due to the safety, traffic and noise problems.

Kweilin Street Night Market only takes place in the first three days of the Lunar New Year. As most restaurants are closed during that period, the hawkers will set up stalls at night to sell foods since there is a large potential market. The hawkers in the night market are not licensed by the government and they operate illegally. Officers of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department will regularly dispel the hawkers.

At night, some hawkers set up some stalls on the street and sell traditional and local cooked foods such as steam rice noodle rolls, stinky tofu, curry fish balls, sausages and other snacks. Also, some street stalls sell goods such as clothes, groceries, dolls and second-hand items.

Due to its proximity to Golden Computer Plaza, which has a variety of electronic gadgets, and plenty of eateries, it has already become a popular place for young people to hangout there. As the stream of people is high in Kweilin Street, it appeals a lot of residents to set up stalls and thus the prosperous night market is born while this place also brings older generation priceless memories of a bygone era.

The market helps to preserve of traditional culture. Hawker culture has existed since after World War II. It sticks with the development of Hong Kong and becomes one of the local cultures. It is believed that hawkers represent a part of Hong Kong’s culture and the existence of the night market will maintain the culture and collective memories belonged to local people.

The night market can boost in tourism of Hong Kong. It is believed that the markets can be tourist attractions if managed properly. Amid the need for new tourist spots to increase its attractiveness, the preservation of night market may help to attract more tourists. Also, the market can alleviate the difficult situation of impoverished people. Old, unskilful people are always unpopular in labour market; yet, have to meet their own needs. They are forced to be unlicensed hawker to earn their income, to risk and violate laws. If night market is made permanent, they can find a way to earn more money.

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