10 tips for running a successful community event (pop up food market)

Jul 21, 2014 | Food, Pondering Life

We’ve all done it, seen something happening overseas and thought that could work back home. But very few of us actually have the fortitude to bring the idea back home and make it happen. Last weekend I met Bev McGhie, a wonderful Kiwi lady who went to Boston and returned with an idea for a food market. Her idea is now a fully functioning popup food market in Victoria Park. I was fortunate to bump into Bev and asked her about the markets success.

1. Good Food

According to Bev the number one, most important factor is the quality of the food, and the market definitely delivers on that. Every stall produced top quality, fresh food, and yes I did try a few, well as much as a stomach can take in one sitting.

‘It has to be good quality food,’ said Bev.

Paella Fideua © The Ponder Room

2 Good value for money

There’s a time and a place for dainty meals and a food market is not it. I can vouch for the portion sizes as the paella serving was huge. Bev also had strong ideas on the prices to ensure the food was good value for money.

‘They had to set their prices at $9, $12 and $15.’

Paella Fideua © The Ponder Room

Tapas Man © The Ponder Room

3 Do something different
We’ve all seen market stall food and could probably list the items we’d expect to see. Not so here. I don’t think I’ve ever come across Mussel Fritters or Cactus Tacos. I’m now on the look out for a Mussel Fritter recipe and failing that, if you can’t find me for the next few Friday nights, I’ll be the one loitering around the Kiwi stall.

Maggies Treats © The Ponder Room

4 Limit the number of stalls

Bev limited the number of stalls to around 14, even though she has about ’90 others waiting to be invited.’This provides an air of exclusivity.

Shak Shuka Moroccan © The Ponder Room

5 Provide ongoing interest

One of the other clever strategies Bev introduced, was to offer the stalls on rotation. While some of the stalls are there every week others pop in and out. This increases repeat custom as people return to see what’s available the next week.

Caribbean Kitchen © The Ponder Room

6Know your customers lifestyles and don’t be greedy

The market runs from 5.30 to 8.30pm on a Friday night.

‘People wanted me to extend the hours but I said no. People can come here and have a feed then go out afterwards. They don’t have to stay here.’

Ragin Cajuns © The Ponder Room

7 Know your competition

Located in Victoria Parks coffee strip you’d imagine that competition is fierce, but if you’re prepared to work in with the competition and not compete directly with them, it becomes less of an issue.

‘We don’t offer drinks here, coffee, hot chocolate or anything. People can eat here then go get a coffee.’

8 Venue adds to the atmosphere

The market operates in a tiny laneway next to IGA. By day it looks like a wasted space. At night it’s very easy to walk passed the front of it if you don’t know where to look. When the markets are in full swing it’s a case of shouldering your way through the crowd (politely of course), which adds to the atmosphere. So too do the good looking stalls.

‘I insisted on having it in a laneway, that’s how it was in Boston’

9 Limited season
The pop up market operates for 12 weeks which also means you have to make the effort to go NOW or you’re going to miss it. It’s about half way through the season now.

and lastly …

10 Perseverance
I was interested to hear that Bev had pitched the idea to a number of Council’s, with some saying it wouldn’t work. Much to Bev’s delight they are now interested in doing the same thing.

The pop up markets on Albany Highway in Vic Park (near IGA), provide a wonderful evening of high quality, different types of food, held in family friendly spirit. I was left pondering …

This is yet another example of one person having an idea and pushing it though.
Another example of how community spirit often starts at the grassroots not in the boardroom.
The markets are classed as ‘on trial’ at the moment so make sure you get down there soon and support this initiative.
Go early to avoid the crowd and make sure you try more than one food stall.
I really hope we see more of these types of event.
Congratulations to the local Council for seeing the possibilities and getting on board with a new initiative.
Huge congratulations to Bev and all those who helped pull this off. If only there were more Bev’s in the community.