Open Air Summer Vendors Market coming to Shelburne this Saturday

August 6, 2020 · 0 Comments

Written By PAULA BROWN

After months of being postponed the Open Air Summer Vendors Market, an event organized and hosted by REACH 25:40 will happen on Saturday (Aug. 8).

“This event was actually supposed to take place in April and the day just kept getting pushed back because of all the changes,” said Victoria Hoyte-Gaynor, the organizer of the event. “Now we’re finally able to have it and we’re going to do it outdoors so that it’s safe for everybody.”

The open air market, located in the parking lot of Trainer Games in Shelburne, has helped raise funds for cooling towels and reusable water bottles to hand out to the homeless. The event is organized by REACH 25:40, a local community initiative started two years ago by Shelburne resident Victoria Hoyte-Gaynor and her husband Clive. The program looks to help those facing homelessness and poverty.

Hoyte-Gaynor says the initiative started when she noticed the need for winter gear amongst the local homeless population following the holiday season, when donations typically begin to die off. She began knitting hats and mittens to hand out, and this slowly grew into providing snack packages and coffee cards.

The open air vendor market is part of an initiative to help the homeless during the extreme heat of the summer. The $40 vendor fee has helped fund the purchase of cooling towels and reusable water bottles that have been given out over the summer.

“I came up with the idea that we could hand out cooling towels and reusable water bottles for the summer because it’s extremely hot and homeless people don’t have anywhere to get out of the heat or get relief from it,” said Hoyte-Gaynor.

At the event a snack bar with prepackaged snacks, selling for a 1$, will go towards the summer initiative, and help to fund future outreach programs by REACH 25:40.

The market is expecting to have around 20 vendors, mainly highlighting local businesses, artists, and artisans with a few direct sales representatives such as Tupperware. Hoyte-Gaynor says she was careful in selecting the vendors for the market, to ensure a variety at the event.

“There’s everything from homemade dog treats to quilts, homemade jewelry, and different skincare lines,” said Hoyte-Gaynor. “I really wanted local artisans to be able to showcase their products.”

With the Shelburne Farmer’s Market cancelled earlier in the year, the open air market is one of few outdoor events that have been able to happen in the community.

“A lot of small business, I think, have been feeling the effects of not being able to do vendor markets and craft shows that they really depend on to be able to get their business out there,” said Hoyte-Gaynor. “I think it’s really important for these small business owners that they’re able to have, if it’s even one market, some awareness about their business, meet some new customers, and just connect with people.”

The vendor market will be located at 735 Industrial Rd. (Trainer Games), in Shelburne and runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.