Lots of options for farmers’ market fans
Greater Fort Erie is ripe with farmers’ markets this season.
There will be four options for local residents and visitors to take advantage of in the next few months, one of them being the Ridgeway Farmers’ Market, which opened on May 6 to heavy rain. Co-ordinator Mary-Lou AmbroseLittle said almost 400 people still stopped by to make a purchase or at least check out the event held Saturdays from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. until Oct. 14.
“We got off to a bit of a wet start but people still came out,” she said.
In its 10th year, the market will draw an average of 1,000 people throughout the season, and enjoy plenty of attention during the upcoming Canada 150 celebrations and the Ridgeway Summer Festival.
Ambrose-Little also said during peak season, the market will boast 40 food vendors and 20 stops for people to make when perusing Art by the Market, which will be in full force when the weather allows.
People of all ages take advantage of the growing event in downtown Ridgeway, with most of the outof-town crowd coming from Port Colborne and Niagara Falls, she added.
“We get a really good cross-section of people.”
Crystal Beach has a new farmers’ market which will take place on Sundays, opening this weekend. From 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., the parking lot of the Crystal Chandelier will be full of options for locals, seasonal residents and tourists. Interested vendors can contact Orma Bleeks at advancingcrystalbeach@gmail.com or 289-402-5181.
The Fort Erie Race Track will also bring back its annual market, open to the public on race dates from June 11 to Oct. 14 on Sundays in June and July and Saturdays in August, September and October.
The market will begin at noon when post times are at 1:20 p.m. but will open at 3 p.m. when racing starts at 4:20 p.m. in August.
The Stevensville community is welcoming a mid-week option. The Fort Erie Conservation Club will bring a market to the parking lot of the Stevensville community centre and Fort Erie Public Library Stevensville branch on Wednesdays, beginning June 7 at 3 p.m.
A market previously held in Bridgeburg will not take place this year, organizers have said.