For five hours, the Night Market shuts down three blocks of 2nd Street in the heart of the Philadelphia neighborhood three times a year.
The latest event was set for Wednesday, July 23, but they've pulled the plug this year, citing costs by the city that they say have more than doubled in recent years.
"We were heartbroken to cancel this," said Owen Kamihira of the Northern Liberties Arts & Commerce Alliance.
Organizers say city-required services to operate the market, like sanitation and health inspections, have been increasing, along with the costs of police services and traffic control that have been varied and challenging.
"We don't have the ability to figure out why those prices go up and down; we just get the bill," Kamihira said.
The City's Office of Special Events says staffing and costs are set by each department, and if hourly rates increase due to new contracts or cost-of-living adjustments, that's reflected in the costs of services. Philadelphia police also pointed out that the Night Market detail works on a voluntary overtime basis.
A police department spokesman suggested reducing the size of the event or contracting private security as ways to possibly save money.
Kamihira hopes the city will meet them halfway.
"This is the city. It's a city street. If we have any security at all, I want a Philadelphia police officer. Private enterprise is not the answer to everything. I know it's a great talking point, but it's not. These companies are in business to make money. The city government, state government, federal government are not in business to make money; it's a service," Kamihira said.
"We're not asking the city to just give us stuff, we're asking the city to work with us so we can do what I think is good for the city, and hopefully is in alignment with what they're trying to achieve and is in alignment with what we're trying to achieve. I think the Open Streets Initiative is great," he added.
The longtime Northern Liberties resident and restaurant owner said his group encountered some financial troubles covering costs for the Spring Night Market, but were able to get the bills paid with help from City Councilman Mark Squilla. They were hoping for a better situation as they planned for summer.
"We were then hoping to get a lower estimate for the July Night Market, but that one came in at like $25,000," Kamihira said.
Kamihira said they can't afford that. In the neighborhood, there's disappointment as some say the Night Market is great for business.
"It's kind of a bummer for this one to be canceled because we had some plans coming up as far as vending," said Art Lair Shave Parlor Owner, Trozie Jordan.
"A lot of people in the neighborhood don't come out until that day, so that's when they recognize us and come out in the following weeks," he added.
On the flip side, Truc Truong, manager of Hello Vietnam Restaurant, said he's glad the market is canceled because he loses out on business to the food trucks and street vendors.
"The summer is always slower than the typical winter, and if they're doing more street festivals, it's gonna hurt more. It's definitely problematic for the local restaurant's food business without the liquor license," Truong said.
In the meantime, vendors who signed up for July's market are being refunded money they paid to secure their spot, and the NLACA is looking ahead to the fall.
"I want desperately to make a deal so that we can keep these things going. We just started developing some momentum. We are working feverishly to bring it back in September. Currently, we're on for September if we can get the numbers right," Kamihira said.
Action News reached out to other events and markets in the city to see if they've encountered any similar challenges because there is concern this could be an issue for others in the future. Some declined to be interviewed, others we did not hear back from.
Philadelphia police expressed support for the market and said they're also hopeful for a resolution.