In Good Taste

​Light Up Lexington Is Back!

The quarterly festival welcomes new chef collaborators and live performers.

The Bromo Tower Arts & Entertainment District and Lexington Market will be hosting the next quarterly “Light Up Lexington” event on Wednesday, March 4 from 5-9 p.m.

The free event features collaborations between vendors and local chefs, live music, and deals on beer and wine.

“With our first event in November, we were nervous not knowing what to expect, but we had about 500 people come out,” says Stacey L. Pack, Lexington Market’s manager. “It was different—it was something that Lexington Market isn’t really known for, but we got a lot of positive feedback from regulars who were excited to try the new offerings, and also from folks who had never been there before.”

This time around, vendors such as Faidley’s Seafood, Andy’s Best Cheese Steaks, and Mem Sahib Indian Restaurant will be teaming up with a new roster of participating local chefs from Joe Squared, The Food Market, The Local Fry, and Neopol Smokery, to fuse their talents and serve dishes for under $10.

“Light Up Lexington” veterans Dooby’s and Alewife will also be returning for next week’s fête, and Alewife will be partnering with Sausage Master, while Dooby’s will work with Park’s Fried Chicken to put a Korean-inspired spin on Park’s traditional recipe.

To accompany all of the inventive eats, representatives from Union Craft Brewery and The Brewer’s Art will be pouring $4 glasses of wine and beer all night long.

The lineup of local music will include performances by improvisational hip-hop troupe Baltimore Boom Bap Society, singer/songwriter Jahiti of local reggae and soul band Brown FISH, and DJ Abdu Ali, who will be spinning a variety of musical genres from around the world.

Pack says that the series is a great outlet to foreshadow what’s to come with Lexington Market’s proposed remodel and rebranding, which could extend its current closing time past 6 p.m.

“The event is a way to bring out the changes that the master plan calls for before construction starts—such as staying open late,” she says. “We are in an arts district and there aren’t a lot of options for people who are looking for a place to go before the theater or a local gallery.”

In the future, Pack says that Lexington Market and Bromo are excited to be able to introduce new bands and artists to the event, while also continuing the partnership with returning chefs and recruiting new ones.

“It’s really fantastic to work with chefs who are excited about the future of the market,” she says. “It’s nice to see them collaborate in a way where they can get outside of their normal kitchen and have some fun.”