Mother’s Day will see the return of the Sidney Farmer’s Market in the parking lot of the Mary Winspear Centre with the return of the traditional Sidney Street Market less than a month behind.
Organized by West Coast Impressions, the Sidney Farmer’s Market will run Sundays from May 8 to Sept. 25 and feature a wide variety of vendors.
West Coast Impressions first used the parking lot of Mary Winspear in the summer of 2020 and early of 2021 to stage a version of the Sidney Street Market.
The Sidney Street Market has traditionally run from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. on a section of Beacon Avenue between Fifth and First avenues closed off to vehicles on Thursday nights from mid-May to the end of August. Historically, it has drawn thousands of visitors each night but was cancelled in 2020 because of COVID-19.
Sidney Farmer’s Market will coexist with Sidney Street Market, also organized by West Coast Impressions. Sidney Street Market is scheduled to start on June 2, running every Thursday until Sept. 1, also in the parking lot of the Mary Winspear Centre.
Visitors, in other words, will have a chance to attend two markets for much of the summer.
RELATED: Council frees Sidney Street Market from obligations to operate on Beacon Avenue in 2022
Sidney late last year freed West Coast Impressions from the obligation of operating the Sidney Street Market on Beacon Avenue because of uncertainties about public health regulations and other issues.
“We cannot assume that large events held in a space where crowds cannot be controlled, will be allowed by the public health officer,” said Laurie McDermid, owner of Westcoast Impressions, and Darren Westwood, market manager, in a letter to council at the time. “In addition, there is construction and other initiatives taking place on Beacon Avenue that may impact the market footprint and cause safety concerns.”
Do you have a story tip? Email: vnc.editorial@blackpress.ca.
Follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and like us on Facebook.