Street markets are a dime a dozen in Taipei. That said, Huashan Creative Park (華山創意園區) seems to have made a solid stab at distinguishing itself from the pack with Huashan 1914 (華山町). Established in June, the weekend market resembles a Western flea market, as evidenced by the absence of stalls selling Penghu squid balls or preserved fruit from Ilan, and the ambiance is youthful and trendy.
Stalls currently sport a mixture of original designs by young artists, though this innovative styling is often hidden amid more traditional flea market or garage sale items. Huashan has not shed all remnants of market tradition, however: in proper flea fashion, customers are obligated to spend time digging through the dross, within which there are some charmingly retro items for sale.
The flea market serves as a base around which other activities cluster, such as Open Stage (街頭放聲), a space that offers bands of all genres the opportunity to strut their stuff every Saturday and Sunday at the grassy front courtyard of Huashan Creative Park. Out back behind the factory buildings, the 2009 Baodao Song Festival (2009寶島聲歌祭) takes place tomorrow and on Sept. 19, presenting viewers with a wide selection of traditional song, along with lectures and a cultural market.
For even more excitement, the 2009 Love Mileage (愛情里程) performance by the First Place Dance School also takes place this weekend and features guest celebrity Vivian Hsu (徐若瑄).
Mobile cafes have been set up, and the grassy forecourt of Huashan is an ideal place to enjoy a snack or coffee. Very reasonable stall rental rates are available from this month through November, as the market hopes to attract young designers as well as people who simply want to clean out their lofts. Rates range from NT$1,080 for any two weekends, to a super discount of NT$2,100 for the five weekends of November. Even celebrities have made cameos behind the Huashan stall counters, Little S (小S) — real name Dee Hsu (徐熙娣) — being a prime example. The singer provided the flea market with a major boost when she turned up at Huashan to sell off some unwanted items back in July.
The mixture of shopping, music and grass offers visitors a combination that is rare for central Taipei. As such, the casual atmosphere, stretching from a lazy afternoon to chilled-out evening, has, four months after Huashan 1914’s launch, clearly found a receptive audience among the city’s youth and young at heart.
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