Eagles turn passions into profit at Night Market

by MARTINA PUGH

Staff Writer

Student vendors convened in Chandler Ballroom on Oct. 25 for UMW’s annual Night Market. Hosted by the Office of Student Activities and Engagement, the Night Market provides vendors with a platform to promote their small businesses and buy and sell their work. 

“It’s open to anyone who’s like, ‘I have something and I want to sell it,’” said Night and Weekend Programming Assistant Faith Jones. 

According to Jones, there were nearly 500 UMW community members in attendance and 32 vendor booths. While most vendors sell physical items like pottery, jewelry or artwork, some opt to showcase other creative works.  

“People sell services. I know some of my friends work on promoting their photography there. One of my friends did tarot readings. So it’s definitely not just physical items,” said Jones. 

The event acts as a space for small business owners to connect and create another stream of support. 

“The best thing about the night market is connecting with other student artists,” said Maha Momtaz, a senior studio art major. “So many students have creative hobbies or outlets outside of class, and seeing their artwork is amazing.”

Student vendors are not the only ones who enjoy the event, the attendees are also able to find joy in the event. 

“I had friends who were selling things, so I wanted to support them,” said Maria Wener, a senior elementary education major. “I love a little market like I love crafts. I love buying things I don’t need because they’re cute.” 

Although a majority of those in attendance at the market were students, alumni and Fredericksburg community members also attended. 

“Since it fell on homecoming weekend, we reached out to alumni to come shop, so we got a larger audience for the vendors, and I’d love it to be something that even the Fredericksburg community wants to come to and shop at,” said Jones.

Although UMW has other market-style events on campus like the Multicultural Fair, this event gives its platform exclusively to students.

“I feel like it’s a fairer playing field with students,” said Wener. “It’s just students and they don’t have to try to compete with people who have the resources, as to maybe have different kinds of things, or potentially lower prices or things like that.”

Additionally, due to consistent high turnout since its debut in Spring 2023, the Night Market has been able to toe the lines of tradition, which is not easy at UMW. 

“UMW is very big on tradition, so I think it has that status now. I think that’s definitely just how much people enjoy it is a big part, and the effort that goes into it,” said Jones. 

The night market reinforces the importance of creativity within the student body as well as the importance of spaces where students’ interests are invested in by the community.  Pouring into students in ways outside of academia allows people to generate a sense of self beyond the classroom. At its core, UMW is a place that allows students to build on talents they’ve developed and spearhead them into successful ventures.