Maine Night Market at Maine Tasting Center

Maine Night Market Returns to Wiscasset for a Third Year of Food, Culture, and Community 

Maine Food & Beverage Education Center (MFBEC) is proud to present the third annual Maine Night Market, a free community celebration happening on Saturday, August 22, 2026 from 5 pm to 9 pm at the Maine Tasting Center (MTC) campus in Wiscasset. 

The Maine Night Market brings together makers, food vendors, and community members for an evening of food, culture, and connection. The event celebrates the incredibly diverse cultural backgrounds of Maine’s food producers, a reminder that the flavors of Maine come from all over the world, and that the state’s food community is richer for it. Guests can look forward to an evening of sampling, shopping, and shared cultural celebration. 

Over the past three years, the Night Market has grown into one of MTC’s biggest nights of the year. In past years, vendors have regularly sold out within the first couple of hours, with lines out to the parking lot; MTC has had to expand event parking to keep up with demand. 

“Honestly, the reception has been unbelievable. This is by far the busiest night of the entire season here,” said Caroline Chung, Maine Tasting Center Campus Manager and originator of the Maine Night Market. “The way I see the Night Market evolving moving forward is getting bigger, reaching out to more communities and developing a real camaraderie and public awareness of this event.” 

What started three years ago as a celebration of Asian flavors and cultural influences has grown to include a wide range of BIPOC, immigrant, and communities of color, along with the Maine-made products that draw on these culinary traditions. 

Last year’s Night Market gave attendees a taste of flavors inspired by cultures from around the world, made right here in Maine, including Korean banana milk, South African-Indian beef curry, unagi don, Chinese bao, and Cambodian beef and chicken skewers, among many others. The evening also featured a live taiko drum performance from New England-based troupe ShinDaiko, a talk from local author Marpheen Chann, and a book reading of Dim Sum Palace by X. Fang with I’m Your Neighbor Books. 

This year’s Night Market will bring that same energy, with a similar range of food, entertainment, and community programming. Confirmed participants for 2026 so far include Knead & Nosh, Battambang Bistro, Thirst Tea LLC, Maine Garum Co., Blazing Bowl, Red Kettle Foods, New England Iron Pollo, Khmer Maine/Maine Asian American Community Center, Little Red Cup Tea Co., I’m Your Neighbor Books, and Pumpkin Vine Family Farm. Entertainment will once again feature a performance by ShinDaiko. The lineup is still being finalized with additional vendors and entertainment being added regularly.  

Admission to the Maine Night Market is free and no tickets are required. As a small nonprofit, MFBEC relies on the generosity of the community to keep events like this accessible to everyone, so a $5 per person donation is suggested to help support the organization’s mission and future programming. Parking is free courtesy of sponsor Norm’s Used Cars. The Maine Night Market is also made possible with support from sponsors Collette Cares and Camden National Bank. 

Whether you’re a longtime regular or joining for the first time, MFBEC invites the community to come hungry, come curious, and spend an evening celebrating the makers who bring the world’s flavors to Maine. 

Learn more and see the most current vendor list at www.mainetastingcenter.com/mainenightmarket 

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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.   

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