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Just in time for its 100th birthday, the ever-evolving Machane Yehuda market has transformed itself once again, this time into one of Jerusalem's hottest summer cultural venues. On Monday nights throughout August, the shuk hosts "Balabasta" (literally, "come to the shop-stall"), a centennial carnival of sorts, complete with street performances, a collaborative wall-of-origami project, live video art projections, watermelon giveaways, chili eating contests, concerts, giant puppets, sets from DJs and bands, produce carving workshops and the first-ever "Shuk Olympics."

It's a veritable cacophony of music, art and food - with many of the cafes and restaurants staying open late to serve the crowds and culinary tours of the shuk's hottest kitchens. The Hagigit collective, which strives to bring art to a wider public audience, is organizing production-set photo shoots (pictured, with white backdrop) and walking around in costume throughout the Balabasta events.

Kobi Frig, Balabasta's 34-year-old production director, who also serves as the musical director of the event series, grew up in the shuk. His family owns a spice store on Ha'egoz Street, and Frig has helped to oversee the shuk's transformation from vegetable stand to cultural hot-spot, organizing the area's famous all-night Purim parties and other "street fair"-style cultural offerings. As a third generation shuk-ite, Frig understands, though, that these endeavors necessitate as sensitivity to the vendors' needs.

"I'm really attached to the shuk," Frig explains to GoJerusalem.com. "The reactions [of the shuk administration and the shuk old-timers] have been positive. Some of them don't know what to make of it, though. They never expected so many people, so many types." These types include children (special children's events begin at 19:00), city youth and young - and not-so-young - adults (more grown up events begin at 20:00). "We're funny people. We love Jerusalem, and we spread the joy," Frig says of the guiding principles behind Balabasta's planning. "We wanted to take this idea to its limits. We don't need to reinvent the wheel - we just want to have fun. If there's humor to it, that means that it's a success."

Somehow, the tongue-in-cheek, prankster feel to Balabasta matches the Machane Yehuda character. "We're already preparing for next year," says Frig, "so if someone wants to come to the shuk in a suit, he'll be welcome, but if he comes in flip-flops, they'll accept him too. We want this to be for all types of people."

It's all about celebrating a part of town where vibrancy is palpable nowadays. "The area [of the shuk and Nachlaot] is called Lev Ha'ir ["the heart of the city"] for a reason," says Frig. "When the city starts to wake up and invest in it, it becomes strong. This goes for the shuk, for Nachlaot and for downtown. This is not a trend - it's the beginning of change. I'm happy about it and want to push it forward. The shuk is drawing lots of attention, and this will only grow."