The 108 Mile Ranch Heritage Market vendors bundled up for the last market of the season.
Skies were overcast and there was a chill in the wind Saturday at the 108 Heritage Site but a half dozen vendors still came out to sell their wares. All were in agreement that 2021 had been a good year for the market.
“We had more vendors and a variety of them. Not only food but some crafters with very unique items,” said 108 Heritage Site president Ulli Vogler. “With not so many people travelling, we felt that. Our travelling customers tend to spend a lot of money on the market and that was missing a bit.”
Vogler said they had up to 30 vendors at markets and a good number of patrons over the season. She’s hopeful that next summer international travellers will be back and that local South Cariboo residents will come by to check it out.
There were a lot of first-time vendors this year, including Maggie Pugh and Marianne Lawrence. Lawrence, who sold plants and her homemade preserves, was impressed by the variety of vendors that came to the Heritage Market. Even though there were only a half dozen vendors at the final market, she said there was still a real diversity for patrons to choose from.
READ MORE: 108 Heritage Market returns with over 30 vendors
“What we have here is natural and you just can’t buy in stores,” Lawrence said.
Henry and Bobbie Peters, of Nature’s Design, said the market got busier over the season, even when vendors started dropping off.
“As it got smaller, it got busier. More and more customers were coming,” Henry said. “Even a cold day like today people are here spending money, which is great.”
Vogler and the other members of the heritage site’s board are now preparing for this year’s Christmas Market. Scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 4 the market will be outdoors and already has 22 vendors set to attend from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The market should be a perfect chance to get all your Christmas presents, Vogler said, with the works of crafters, woodworkers, fabric artists and potters to chose from.
“It will be awesome,” Vogler said. “Hopefully we don’t have -25C weather. I’m hoping for sunshine, blue skies and -10C, nothing colder.”
Anyone looking to attend the Christmas Marker as a vendor is invited call 250-791-5288.
patrick.davies@100milefreepress.net
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