MARKETS
31st Ave Open Street hosts regular markets for the community, offering a low-cost way for local makers to sell their wares on the Open Street. Some markets are organized by us, and some are managed by third-party local market organizers, often around different themes. Proceeds from vendor donation fees go to the Astoria Food Pantry.
Upcoming markets are shown at the bottom of this page.
Read on to learn about being a vendor, or organizing a market.
How to join a market as a vendor
Vending is only allowed on designated ‘Market Days,’ which are overseen by Market Organizers. These will be put on by different community groups every Sunday, so we can see many different visions of markets on the street. In the meantime, please consider adding your info to our Vendor Database (below). This will be an evergreen list of local markets, which will be shared with those who want to host a market on the street.
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Each Market Organizer will have their own application process; the Collective will aim to amplify those applications and calls to vendors when they’re made publicly available.
You can also become a Market Organizer yourself!
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Vending on an Open Street requires a city-sponsored concessionaire permit, which we, the Collective, hold for the 2025 season. It gives us 29 days of the year to operate a market.
This is done to promote fairness, equity, and inclusion for our popular vendor fairs.
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Out of respect for our local eateries (and due to heftier health guidelines), no hot food can be sold on the Open Street. Baked or prepared food, however, is welcome.
Per city law, no alcohol or marijuana can be sold on the Open Street. We do encourage you, however, to enjoy a purchase from a local bar or dispensary al fresco.
Vendors may not use their cars on the Open Street when we’re in operation. Please load from outside of the barricades, and take care to not block access to pedestrian ramps for those who need them.
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The Collective is sponsoring vendors’ participation on the street. We ask vendors to provide a donation per market to the Collective, if able. The amount may vary by market so refer to the organizer before donating. This covers the Collective’s insurance and storage costs and funds the Astoria Food Pantry’s operations.
Please note that, unlike in previous years, all donations must be submitted to the 31st Ave Open Street Collective and not to Astoria Food Pantry directly. We will ensure that all Market Organizers have our donation information to pass on to individual vendors.
Submit your donation here -
We’ll be giving your contact information to potential market organizers, and they’ll be in contact with you going forward.
Organize a market
Organizing a market is a great way to curate your own selection of vendors around a certain theme of your choosing. The first step is the Market Organizer Application Form (below). Tell us your vision for the market, and who you’re hoping to convene. We’ll then follow up with next steps.
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Market Organizers will be primarily responsible for organizing a site map, lining up logistics, promoting the Market and serving as the primary point of contact for vendors, including communicating 31OS' safety protocol and collecting vending fees. And we’re here to help! We have partnered with QNS Collab to offer info sessions and guides, with best practices and resources to support you, which can be found here. We can also offer day-of volunteer support.
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Nope! Because the Collective is the Market Operator, we are sponsoring the permitting for all markets. The $25 requested donation that we ask from vendors will be paid to the Collective to cover insurance and operations costs. Any suggested donation should be made via PayPal, at info@31staveopenstreet.org. Since the Collective is a 501(c)3, each donation is tax deductible as well.
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We have a limited number of tables and chairs that we can share with vendors. That said, there aren’t enough to cover the entire street, so vendors are advised to bring their own equipment if possible. If you’d like to use our equipment, we’ll coordinate to make sure that you’re clear on what's available for the event.
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You’re more than welcome to use your own networks, but we’ve also compiled a diverse database of small businesses and entrepreneurs from across Queens and beyond. Once approved for a market, we’d be happy to share it with you!