The Airdrie Farmers’ Market unofficially kicks off summer June 5 from 3:30 to 7:00 p.m. – and, according to market manager Candice Kolson, will be celebrating a special occasion this season.
This year marks the 10-year anniversary of the re-branding and re-launching of the Airdrie Farmers’ Market, she said.
“It was fun because the location that we're at right now, the market has come full circle – the furthest dated time of the Airdrie Farmers’ Market was [held] at the Plainsmen Arena,” Kolson said, adding the market has been hosted in many places throughout the city before returning to the Plainsmen Arena and Jensen Park.
Kolson took on a more active position with the annual event in 2009, she said, and has since worked on initiatives to help it grow. One of the things she introduced was rescheduling the market to Wednesday afternoons instead of hosting it on weekends.
“[The market] was really struggling to find vendors on Saturdays because there are other really large markets, events and festivals that run on weekends,” she said. “[The change] seems to be really well-received by the community. The market just took off from there.”
This year’s markets will bring back Artisan Alley and Food Truck Frenzy. In an attempt to ensure more people can take advantage of the food trucks, Kolson said it will be staying open even after the market closes – until 9 p.m. on Wednesdays.
“We're hoping the crowd that couldn't get there after work will be able to partake this year, and we're going to give it a try,” she said.
On average, the market features three to four food trucks and 70 vendors each Wednesday, according to Kolson, from fresh produce to local artists.
“We've got people that knit, people that paint, we have jewelry and we have an awful lot of different types of foods,” she said. “We have something for everyone.”
Providing a local farmers’ market is important to help support local businesses, she added.
“It's a small time commitment, but it gives them that face-to-face time,” Kolson said. “It gives people an opportunity to see vendors’ products or hear about their services in a way that they wouldn't normally be able to…. It gives [vendors] an opportunity to reach customers and let people know about them."
The market will run at the same time each Wednesday until Oct. 9, Kolson said and will be happening rain or shine.
“The market is free to attend and there are no pressures to buy,” she said. “We just ask that you come out and see what everybody has to offer and to know what's going on and know who [some of the] new businesses are.”
