With 22 vendors on average, the South Cariboo Farmers’ Market has plenty of room to grow.
Market manager Will Love said that thanks to returning to Birch Avenue outside the 100 Mile Community Hall, they’ve been able to attract more vendors and patrons to the market. So far he has received no complaints from anyone about the market.
“We’re just super glad to be downtown. Everybody loves us here, and we’ve got nothing but compliments for coming back,” Love said. “The last few years have been tough for us, and now we’re building back from that.”
With access to the inside of the community hall, they have been able to welcome more artisans and crafters to the market. Love said those with sensitive items like drawings, fabrics or candy can go inside to avoid the heat and the rain, though thankfully they haven’t received any rain so far.
Love hopes to rebuild the market to its pre-pandemic peak of up to 45 vendors a week. He said with access to the inside of the community hall they could have up to 60 vendors a day.
“Now we have time for people who show up last minute and need some help to get set up,” Love said. “The farmers’ market principle, with the BC Association of Farmers’ Markets, is the local produce, but the other half of the market is the crafters: the people who take raw materials and make something out of them, and that’s only growing.”
The inclusion of the 100 Mile Repair Café has been a welcome new addition, Love added. While they can’t be at the market every week, he said the café fits well into the spirit of the market.
“It’s something that brings back an element of life I’m starting to feel we’ve lost. We’ve got all these small gadgets that we use, and if it breaks we just throw it away and buy a new one,” Love said. “It’s nice to think that we could actually fix it, so it’s really good to see the repair guys here.”
Anyone looking to get involved with the market as a vendor is invited to email info@southcariboofarmersmarket.org, or come to the market on Fridays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and talk to Love directly.
patrick.davies@100milefreepress.net
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