Northwest Marketplaces will run two evening markets in Bellevue’s Spring District over the next three weeks, the opening season of a new Bellevue Night Market Series that the producer is using to work out whether a monthly market can run in the city starting in 2027.
The series is being staged through a special City of Bellevue Community Programming Fund and hosted at The Spring District. Both 2026 dates are built to give local makers, food vendors, artists and entrepreneurs a place to sell and be seen.
The Two 2026 Dates
Bellevue Sunset Market — Thursday, Sept. 17, 4 to 8 p.m.
The first event turns the end of the workday into an evening gathering. The relaxed weekday format is aimed at residents, nearby employees and visitors looking to shop local, eat dinner, find businesses they have not tried and spend time with neighbors as the sun goes down.
Autumn Moon Night Market — Saturday, Oct. 3, 2 to 7 p.m.
The second is a larger weekend celebration organized around the warmth, flavors and traditions of the autumn season. The lantern-lit afternoon and evening will carry a wider selection of local artisans, street food, cultural programming and Asian-inspired themes, designed as a destination for families, visitors and food lovers.
Why Two Different Formats
Running a weekday market alongside a larger weekend festival gives Northwest Marketplaces a direct comparison. The producer is looking to learn what audiences prefer, what vendors need, which programming works and which operating model would hold up for a recurring Bellevue night market.
“This is an exciting opportunity to explore what a Bellevue night market can become,” said Ryan Reiter of Northwest Marketplaces. “Bellevue has evolved into one of the region’s most dynamic urban centers, and we believe there is an opportunity to create a new kind of evening gathering that brings together local businesses, food, culture, music, and community. This first year is about listening, experimenting, and building it together.”
Reiter said the two dates are meant to open a back-and-forth with the people who show up.
“We see this first season as the beginning of a conversation with the Bellevue community,” he said. “Our hope is that these two events will help us discover the right mix of vendors, programming, food, culture, and community experiences to create something people look forward to every month.”
The Site, and a Possible Move Downtown
Both markets take over the parking lot beside Sound Transit’s Spring District Station, across from The Spring District community. The lot is a testing ground rather than a permanent address, and Northwest Marketplaces has said a move to Downtown Bellevue is on the table for 2027.
Building on the New Year’s Eve Market
The series grows out of the destination markets Northwest Marketplaces has produced around the region, among them the Bellevue New Year’s Eve Night Market, which the company launched with the City of Bellevue four years ago. The new series carries that work into a recurring evening event, with the two 2026 formats serving as the trial run.
Feedback from vendors, attendees, community partners and other stakeholders will determine what a 2027 monthly series looks like, and whether it happens.
