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Come nightfall on Wednesday, September 28, Wisconsin Avenue in Appleton will look a little different. The street, from Oneida to Drew, will be closed to vehicular traffic for the Valley’s first open air night market.

Bazaar After Dark, sponsored by Tundraland, will feature diverse food and art vendors as well as live music and performances. The event is presented by Pulse Young Professionals Network, a program of the Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce.

The concept emerged from a Project Wisconsin Avenue event that Pulse held in April. The event hosted community leaders who addressed the unique obstacles and opportunities that exist in the Wisconsin Avenue business district.

“Places like downtown Appleton and Neenah have the obvious cool factor,” says Pulse Director Adrienne Palm. “But the places that interest me are the ones with all the potential, but are underutilized.”

Wisconsin Avenue is one of these places, Palm says, and drawing positive attention to the district through community events like the night market will help transform it as a destination. Palm hopes to engage the businesses that currently call Wisconsin Avenue home to create a welcoming, collaborative environment at the market.

“This street festival is unique because we are shutting down a state highway to make people stop, change direction and see it in a different way,” she says.

The market will be held at night, from 6 to 10 p.m., which was a purposeful decision, Palm says.

“There’s something magical that happens when the sun goes down,” she says. “Things get weird and they get fun.”

Visit Bazaar After Dark’s event page on Facebook for updates.