‘The Market on Mill Street’ returning to Orangeville Blues and Jazz

Written By Paula Brown

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The Hometown Market is bringing a pop-up event known as The Market on Mill Street back to the Orangeville Blues and Jazz Festival. 

“It's so exciting to be back. The Market on Mill Street has been the most anticipated event of the year. All the vendors have been waiting the last 12 months for this,” said Melissa Shea, organizer of The Hometown Market.

Introduced as a new offering at the 2022 Orangeville Blues and Jazz Festival, the pop-up market consists of a number of crafters, artisans, makers, and small business owners. 

This year, the event is set to feature a wide array of works and products sold by vendors, including baked goods, home décor, clothing, barbeque sauce, fresh flowers, and honey. The event will also see both new and returning businesses taking part in the market. 

“We've got such a great lineup of vendors this year that I know are going to do exceptionally well,” said Shea. “We've got everything for everyone.” 

While still in its infancy as a part of the Orangeville Blues and Jazz Festival, The Market on Mill Street has rapidly become considered one of the biggest local events for independent sellers in the community and surrounding area. 

“It's the best place to be for business. It gets your brand out there, you get to sell your products and on top of that the sales for most vendors are better than Christmas time, so everyone wants in on it,” said Shea. 

A significant indicator of the markets influence has been the demand in applications for a spot in the market's limited space, which spans a small block of Mill Street. 

In an interview with the Citizen, Shea said in their seven-day application period, they saw around 275 applications for the market's 25 vendor spots. 

“It was really overwhelming and a hard decision because there's so many incredibly talented businesses out there. The Blues and Jazz Festival is known all over and vendors known it, so they want to be a part of it,” said Shea. 

According to the Orangeville Blues and Jazz Festival, the three-day musical event saw over 40,000 attendees at the 2022 festival. 

Although originally limited to 25 spots, The Market on Mill Street has been given approval to expand the number of vendors in the market due to the removal of the Mill Street Stage. 

The Market on Mill Street will consist of 40 businesses in total, including both vendors and businesses located on Mill Street. 

“We're anticipating another really successful event,” said Shea. “The Blues and Jazz Festival is a great contributor to our community and it brings to much tourism annually. It's all about supporting local and it's a great privilege to be part of.” 

The market will be held on Saturday, June 3, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. 

To learn more about The Hometown Market, visit www.hometownmarket.biz.