Following an overwhelmingly positive response to its inaugural event, Maine Food & Beverage Education Center (MFBEC) is proud to present the second annual Maine Night Market, happening on Saturday, August 23, 2025 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Maine Tasting Center campus in Wiscasset.
The Maine Night Market is an outdoor, farmers’ market-style event that shines a spotlight on Maine’s AAPI (Asian American and Pacific Islander) food and beverage producers, along with local businesses that craft traditional Asian foods and ingredients, and other globally-inspired flavors. Designed to celebrate the diversity and richness of Maine’s culinary landscape, the event brings together producers and the public for an evening of sampling, shopping, storytelling, and shared cultural connection.
This year’s event builds on the energy of 2024’s launch, which drew over 500 attendees in just two hours. “We were absolutely blown away by the turnout,” said Sara Gross, Executive Director of MFBEC. “We anticipated maybe two hundred guests, but the community showed up in a big way. It made it clear how hungry people are, literally and figuratively, for events that showcase the full diversity of Maine’s food scene.”
In response to last year’s popularity, the 2025 Maine Night Market has been expanded to accommodate a larger crowd with a more spacious outdoor layout, better event flow, and a new dedicated parking area sponsored by Norm’s Used Cars. The festival-style evening will once again highlight Maine’s AAPI producers and other local makers of traditional Asian foods and ingredients, offering guests a rich, flavorful experience rooted in cultural diversity and local pride.
Confirmed vendors include returning favorites like Knead & Nosh, Heiwa Tofu, Red Kettle Kimchi, Maine Garum Company, Tootie’s Tempeh and Kili Organics, as well as exciting new additions like Kimchi Beyond Compare and Little Red Cup; more will be announced soon. In addition to shopping and sampling, guests can catch live cooking demos by Jeff Mao of Knead & Nosh in the Learning Center and enjoy a special 30-minute performance by ShinDaiko: A Contemporary Taiko Ensemble, a performance group that includes Red Kettle Kimchi’s own Ger Tysk.
“This event is more than a marketplace, it’s a cultural celebration,” said Caroline Chung, Maine Tasting Center Campus Manager and originator of the Maine Night Market. “Last year we proved that this concept resonates deeply with Mainers. This year, we’re excited to bring an even bigger and more intentional experience to life.”
As always, the Maine Night Market is free and open to the public with no tickets required. Visitors are encouraged to come hungry and ready to explore, taste, and connect with some of Maine’s most dynamic food entrepreneurs.
Learn more and see the most current vendor list at: www.mainetastingcenter.com/mainenightmarket
Maine Food & Beverage Education Center (MFBEC) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to connecting the public with Maine’s small food and drink producers through education. MFBEC operates out of the Maine Tasting Center campus in Wiscasset, where members of the public can attend classes and special events, taste food and drink from Maine producers, and explore exhibits about Maine food industries. MFBEC uses the tools of public education and tourism to drive economic benefit to our state’s small producers and to promote participation in local food systems. Learn more at www.mainetastingcenter.com
Photos:
2024NM_FishermensNet.jpg: In 2024, Fishermen’s Net of Brunswick was the featured food truck at the event; they are expected to return in 2025. Credit
2024NM_Heiwa.jpg: Heiwa Tofu was one of 8 vendors profiled at the first Night Market event in 2024.
2024NM_JeffMao.jpg: The 2024 Night Market featured demonstrations in the Learning Center by Jeff Mao of Knead & Nosh, who is also a popular local culinary instructor.
2024NM_KneadandNosh.jpg: Knead & Nosh was one of the 8 vendors profiled at the first Night Market event in 2024, selling handmade dumplings, mooncakes and even bagels with fusion flavors.
2024NM_RedKettle.jpg: Red Kettle Foods was one of the 8 vendors profiled at the first Night Market event in 2024, selling their popular kimchi and sampling out a variety of products including kimchi and a seasonal Japanese pickle.
