Open Air Market at Street Festival will showcase 110 vendors

June 10, 2016 · 0 Comments

By Michelle Janzen

Every year there is an Open Air market held at the Shelburne Street Festival. This year, however, it will be bigger than anyone have ever seen.

This year, Jamie-Lee Higginson, owner of Prim Pickins’ has taken on the responsibility of organizing this year’s market and was very resourceful finding a large number of vendors with a great mix of everything from Kidpreneurs and Artisans to MLM type businesses, and close to a dozen food vendors, one of which offers wood-fired pizza made on-site.

“In the past, there has typically been around 30 vendors and this year it has blown up to 110 vendors to date,” says Higginson. “[And] approximately 50 per cent of vendors being local, with most of them having a home-based business.”

The vendors will stretch the entire length of William Street this year and will include typical flea market style vendors offering t-shirts, sunglasses, hats and more. Then there is a wide range of artisans offering their hand-made wears, jewellery, wood crafts, candles and garden decorations.

There will also be local youth groups like Skate Canada Shelburne, the Air Cadets, Scouts as well as the Center Dufferin Recreation Complex, who will be there for you to inquire about summer swimming and their day camp.

New this year, Higginson found Youth Entrepreneurs whose booth fees are being donated to Spenser’s Kids, which was started in the wake of the tragic loss of Spenser, a small boy with a big heart.

To honor Spencer’s memory, his love for hockey and his compassionate soul, the organization provides kids in unfortunate financial situations the opportunity to play hockey, and to share in the character growth and sense of wellness that playing a team sport provides.

Spenser’s Kids is dedicated to providing hockey equipment and registration for local youth who would otherwise miss out on these benefits.

Also new this year, local radio station Country 105 will be live on location from 12 noon to 2 p.m. and we are told they will probably have some giveaways for those in attendance. Don’t forget to look for the Street Festival’s own booth in the vendor market that will have three huge baskets to raffle off.

Each of the baskets are themed family BBQ, Movies and Water Fun!

Higginson tell us that once again lce River Springs are donating water and will have volunteers handing it out to festival goers for as long as it lasts.

With local vendors and others coming from all over the GTA bringing everything from clothing to vegetables and preserves, to someone who will trim your dog’s nails, and even a psychic, we suggest you bring some pocket change as we are sure there will be something you will like.