Farmers’ Market heading indoors for winter

by Morinville News Staff

The outdoor market may have come to a close at the end of September, but those looking to get their weekly fix of local products and produce can do so starting this Friday. The Morinville Festival Society will take their weekly Farmers’ Market indoors for the third season starting Oct. 16.

“We have a number of vendors lined up to start the inside season,” said Farmers’ Market Manager and Morinville Festival Society President Korien Sampson.

Along with the new venue inside the Ray McDonald Sports Center, the market will also roll out new hours. “The hours will be 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. to accomodate traffic and people who work,” Sampson said. “We go every single Friday with the exception of Nov. 27 because of the Christmas Festival, and we take a two week break at Christmas and New Year’s. Then we’re right back at it until June.”

Sampson said the limited space inside the arena common area limits the number of vendors the winter market can accomodate, but She is anticipating a good variety of vendors to serve those attending the weekly market.
“It looks like we are going to be packing it in as best as we can,” she said. “It’s going to be a little squishy, but we’ll make it work.”

Sampson said she is working with a local produce supplier to have them attend the market every other week to provide shoppers with fresh vegtables. “They started coming last year, but there wasn’t enough people buying,” she said. “They weren’t making enough money to be financially sustainable to come out. I’m hoping to convice them to come out every other week.”

But the Market Manager is also hoping to encourage residents to come out as well.

“The best thing to do is to support our local farmers, especially with this bad agricultural year,” Sampson said.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email