Symons Valley Ranch Farmers Market back with pop-up market

After a devastating fire last month, the Symons Valley Ranch Farmers Market is back with a pop-up market.

Held in a temporary structure on the property of the burnt-out ranch in the city’s northwest, Saturday’s pop-up market was the first of a series of events giving vendors a place to sell their goods while the redevelopment of Symons Valley Ranch gets underway.

Deanna Reyes-Kinzer, who works with her brother and sister-in-law’s business, Matt and Sophie’s Cakes, said she was surprised by how many people came to the event, and said vendors were feeling optimistic about the future of the market.

“I see a lot of laughter still, I wasn’t expecting that,” Reyes-Kinzer said. “We thought it might be a sad atmosphere ... everybody is just like normal as if it’s a regular market day. It was really positive.”

Reyes-Kinzer said Matt and Sophie’s Cakes had been open for just one month before the fire. She was at the pop-up market not to sell cakes but to promote the “Support Local” T-shirt fundraising campaign. All proceeds from each $20 shirt will go to those hit hardest by the fire.

“The funds that are collected ... are put in a trust fund and it will go toward the vendors,” Reyes-Kinzer said. “It’s really tough for (vendors) not to have a market and, some of them, that’s actually their source of income.”

Ken Aylesworth, the ranch’s managing partner, said he was grateful for the support.

“We hope to see many friends and customers at the pop-up markets in the coming weeks. We are grateful for the continued vendor support,” he said.

Calgarians looking to attend a future pop-up market can visit www. symonsvalleyranch.com.