INNISFAIL – The Christmas shopping season has begun.
Innisfail and area residents had plenty of Christmas gift ideas at the annual Christmas Farmers Market at the Innisfail Royal Canadian Legion on Nov. 15 and 16.
The Christmas market is presented by the Innisfail Farmers Market each year, and has been a tradition in Innisfail for more than 25 years, said Christine Mountain, manager of the market.
“It’s a special market for Christmas and for the people in the area,” said Mountain. “It’s been in the legion, the United Church and in the Eastgate Mall.”
As in the past, the Christmas Farmers Market featured plenty of gift ideas for the holidays, including arts and crafts, woodworking, clothing, home baking and more.
“We have people coming in with Christmas decorations and other Christmas items,” said Mountain.
This year, she said, there was a vendor from Innisfail on the stage offering digital photographs and face painting. For a small fee, attendees could get their pictures taken in different settings, she added.
Participating vendors came from Innisfail and across Central Alberta, said Mountain, noting they had a full house with 50 vendors booked for this year’s Christmas Farmers Market.
“That’s as many as we can bring in. It’s about the same number as last year,” she said, noting it is a popular event with locals and visitors from across Central Alberta and the surrounding areas.
Complete Catering provided food for sale during the event, noted Mountain.
She said the event always receives positive feedback from guests and vendors year after year.
“They enjoy the variety that we supply and it’s good for early Christmas (shopping), said Mountain. “It’s great for gift ideas too.”
Mountain also runs the Innisfail Farmers Market throughout the summer and said it was a good year for the local market.
“The Innisfail Farmers Market itself was very good. We had a special market this year called Christmas in July and that went over really well,” said Mountain. “That was a fundraiser for the food bank.
“It went over so well we will probably be doing it again next year,” Mountain concluded.
