Tiara Deleon Guerrero, center, and Ashley Reiko Pangelinan, right, are the cofounders of Local Girls Marianas.
LOCAL Girls Marianas will host Spirit Night, a Halloween-themed night market, at Aqua Resort Club on Thursday, Oct. 26, according to Local Girls Marianas co-founder Tiara Deleon Guerrero.
Similar to the Mini Night Market held at GIG Oasis in August, the Spirit Night Market at ARC will feature local small businesses selling local crafts, jewelry, fashion, and more, Deleon Guerrero said.
She added that local social media content creators Palm Trio will host a haunted house on the second floor of the hotel, and there will be face painting as well.
Food and beverages will be sold by Aqua Resort Club, and the poolside bar will be open to adults.
Deleon Guerrero said vendors will be spread out across the hotel facility, with some stationed in the open-air corridor. There will be food and live music by the pool, and vendors offering their products and services elsewhere on the grounds.
Deleon Guerrero said she and Local Girls Marianas co-founder Ashley Pangelinan decided to organize the night market because they want to see a “more relaxing” local market experience.
“We were talking about how we’d love to go to a night market that felt cozier and softer,” Deleon Guerrero said.
She added that Local Girls Marianas also wants to create a night market that could reflect different themes and move from venue to venue.
Deleon Guerrero said night markets are also one way of supporting small businesses.
“We introduce small businesses to the community and also provide an opportunity for the businesses to work with each other,” she added.
She said the participating artisans and vendors generally don’t have physical store fronts, so a night market is one way they can get their products out to the community.
“I think this is really a beautiful thing to see all the small businesses come together and support each other,” Deleon Guerrero said.
Moreover, the night markets add to local pride and serve as an opportunity for the youth to see entrepreneurs at work, she added.
“I think it’s very beneficial for kids to go to a market. They might have a dream of being an entrepreneur and it is more tangible when you’re younger and you can physically see somebody doing it,” she said.
