The outdoor Producer's Market is back for a second season.
The outdoor market, which enjoyed a successful inaugural season in 2015, will begin May 31 in the parking lot of the Henday Mall, and will run every Tuesday from 4 to 7 p.m. until Sept. 27.
Bowden's Nicole Nakamura, organizer of the Producer's Market, said the outdoor venue consistently had about 12 vendors during its nine-week inaugural season and she's expecting the same number to begin season two.
“We have a few confirmed and we are waiting for a few to come in. They say they are coming but they just haven't submitted applications yet,” said Nakamura, owner of Fresh Harvest Farm, which will have a booth at the outdoor venue to sell fresh cut flowers.
She added the committed vendors are Innisfail Growers, B.C. Fruit, Markerville Berry & Vegetable Farm, and Klein Farm – producers of free-range chickens and turkeys.
“Those are really good staple vendors,” she said.
While Nakamura was just hoping to get the Producer's Market up and running last year for its inaugural season, Nakamura said the goal this year is to increase its popularity.
“We are hoping for more vendors and for more of the public to come out. We had a great turnout last year but with awareness hopefully comes more traffic through,” she said. “I don't know how much of the town knew there was an outdoor market last year, so now that we've been around and we are starting to establish a name we are hoping for more people to come through. We are really hoping to create a nice community atmosphere down there as well, to make it a family outing every week.”
And while the indoor farmers market, which kicked off its 41st season on May 19, is well established and respected in the community, the Producers Market is hoping to capture its own niche by emphasizing “locally grown products in an outdoor atmosphere.
“Everything we have is locally produced,” she said. “The more people that know about it the bigger and better it can become.”
Nakamura said vendors can purchase committed season-long spots from May 31 to Sept. 27 for $300, or they can choose the non-committal weekly rate for $20.
For more information on the Producer's Market and how to be part of it for 2016, call Nakamura at 403-877-5447 or market manager Shirley Lentz at 403-318-6429.
