Prescott Night Market
18th Street between Campbell and Peralta
Oakland
June 6, 2024
West Oakland’s landscape has been rapidly changing for more than a decade, but things towards the north end of the neighborhood have been steadily ramping up, very visibly, in particular. Citi Bike docks and repaved roads, roundabouts. More town homes developed, a doggy daycare and artsy communal living, and, to serve those new folks, a weekly farmer’s market. Soon, that market will have an indoor, permanent outpost in the form of Prescott Market Hall, but in the meantime a monthly night market will have to suffice.
At the most recent night market, a whole lotta sun beat down on the blocked-off street. There was a fun and funky band at the block’s head, with a lot full of aerosol artists and admirers and a street full of food. Families fueled up, dogs were held dear, beers were poured, and the promise of a baseball game nearby was in the air.
The folks grooving for us and themselves, numbering seven this evening, were the Phat Luv Band. A rmedley of artists and fitting snapshot of Oakland arts, they piped out a mix of funky soul, classic rock, and reggae, getting attendees to sing and sway along to numbers like “Benny And The Jets” and “Stir It Up”.
The band routinely encouraged more of this interaction: “No separation between you and us, it’s we — let’s get in a vortex and make this happen!”
I won’t say that fell on deaf ears, but on hot, hungry, and thirsty ones. During the earlier half of the “night,” the block was already filling up fast, with lines at nearly every food vendor and a lengthy one to purchase beer tickets, to be redeemed at a secondary booth by Almanac Beer. The brewery, located in nearby Alameda, offered a special “Baller’s Love” Hazy IPA in celebration of the new team. I counted no fewer than five other local breweries on the independent league’s website too. Pretty ballin’.
The solid imbibables leaned heavy on the heavy meats, with a special pig roast, doner kebabs, al pastor tacos, and brisket tacos, with freshly made pizza, gourmet cookies, ice cream, and nearly-NSFW donuts to sweeten things up. Wary of the lines and with no friend to share my food, I opted for an “acelga” empanada from Javi’s, a $7 chard and cheese dough pocket boasting bright and earthy salinity from the greens and onions, salty umami from the cheese, and satisfying crispness at the edges. At that price for a veggie bite I wished it had been toasted (more? It was warm, but not at all hot, and the interior dough was a bit gummy), and maybe served with a sauce of some sort, but I would eat it again quickly, if not seek out.
The market-to-be’s parking lot hosted a bike valet tent, more sturdy picnic tables, and five sections of wall actively being painted by local artists and organized by Talking Walls. The disparate styles were worked together to create a massive collage of juicy fruits, vinyl djs, beautiful people, and, it wouldn’t be Oakland without it, a low rider poised to drive off the wall and into your face. Onlookers such as myself marveled at the artists’ gentle control wielded over paint cans while perched on lifts, masked and seemingly unbothered by the audience.
I’m thrilled to see more (free, community) events happening with regularity around the neighborhood and look forward to next month, with new music, maybe a mushroom gyro or al pastor taco, just maybe a ball game too. Bring your sunscreen though, as booths will close before the sun does.
Prescott Night Market will run July 11, Aug. 15, Sept. 5, and Oct. 3 in partnership with the Oakland Ballers, Bandaloop Studios, Activate Oakland, and Almanac Brewery.
Phat Luv Band will perform at the West Oakland Farmers Market on July 28.
