Market Fair To Test Public’s Appetite
Saturday, August 31, 2013 @ 4:07 AM
Prince George, B.C. – It’s a busy weekend for parents as they prepare their children for the start of a new school year next week.
The malls will be bustling with activity in the search for new duds and school supplies. However, for those not involved in that annual ritual there is a brand new event planned in the downtown area today. The City Hall Market Fair will take a trial run in front of City Hall, from 9 am to 4 pm today. It is an outdoor European-type market featuring the wares of multicultural business people from various parts of the world.
The Market Fair is sponsored by the Immigrant and Multicultural Services Society and Welcome PG. What it does is provide a venue for people to sell all sorts of goods which they have brought from their home country. That includes baked goods, art and craft items, foods, produce as well as letting people know about services they offer. Performers of music and dance will also be attending to give the fair a true European flavor.
The Market Fair will be running today at the same time as the Farmer’s Markets at 3rd and 6th Avenues. However, it is not being run as a competing event with those established venues. The thought is that if the public shows an interest the Market Fair could become a regular event running from late spring to early fall each year.
Comments
As much as this wasn’t supposed to be a competing event, it essentially decimated the Farmer’s Market today — there was almost no one at the Farmer’s Market.
Having two markets (three counting the indoor market) is cannibalizing what could be ONE amazing ‘general’ market.
So where there more people at the other place than at the farmer’s market?
If not, it might be the fact that it was a long weekend. Some people left town for the weekend, others came here for the weekend.
Which group frequents the market the most, locals or out of towners?
I would expect that people would visit both. But, some might think that they get a bargain at the new place.
As far as farmers are concerned, how many are real farmers?
I think both would benefit from cooperating rather than competing.
In fact, similar to the Kelowna market, I think they should find a field somewhere, such as the Casino, and go there for a year. Let’s see who complains the most then.
What a load of rubbish! I was at all three markets and they were all busy. I have never seen the indoor market as busy as it was today nor the one near the courthouse. To say that the new market decimated the Farmers’ market is ridiculous. If anything the new market drew people down to see the Farmers’ market and the new one. However, the Farmers’ market may want to review their entry requirements or at least who they let in, because I am quite sure some of their booths are not selling home made or farm produced products, most yes, but not all.
@pizzacook. Could have been due to my timing though. I went to the Farmer’s Market around 12pm, and it there was no where near normal attendance. Perhaps there were more people at the Farmer’s Market earlier on. Don’t get me wrong, I love having the markets, I just think they should all be combined into one larger venue. At the very least, it certainly had people walking all of George St today.
It was great to have the new City Hall Market Fair. It is nice to have something new downtown. Anything that brings family’s downtown on a Saturday should be a help to the other Markets. Three Markets plus the Butlers Market if you are looking for treasures that’s great. This could be what we need to enjoy our City, it may open the door for other event’s. Other City’s have this happening all summer, and it involves a lot of different products, people and entertainment.
I’d love to see the street blocked off in front of the courthouse between 2nd and 3rd to add to the already blocked off area on 3rd. Create a giant market instead of 3 smallish satellite ones.
Well Moose if you can find a way to unite the Farmers Market into one location I applaud you. Unfortunately the year round building doesn’t move welll on a weekly basis.
Now to add another entity into this volatile mix ……
How many Farmers in the market….
Well i think there are maybe four vendors who would be classified as farmers, the rest …..
Unfortunately this is more a statement on the health of our agricultural industry in the Prince George region.
Kudos to the organzers of the initial City Hall Market Fair for a very successful intial event.
I noticed that there was mention of the Farmers market locations in press releases for the City Hall Market Fair as well as advertising on site directing shoppers to both Farmer market locations.
Vendors at the year round location on sixth stated they had the most successful day since opening.
I will report on why there are two locations of the Farmers Market another time.
In the meantime
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