Monday, July 30, 2012

North Bay Farmers’ Market ~ 10 Years of Success!


If you are looking for a great place to spend a few hours on a Saturday I’ve the perfect thing for you to do…
Come visit the vendors at the North Bay Farmers’ Market…we are open every Saturday, 8:30 am to 1:00pm, from the long weekend in May to the long weekend in October…rain or shine!  The Market is located in the McIntyre parking lot across from City Hall…always plenty of free parking in the area.


 I’ve been doing the Market for six seasons and I still come across people who, until I tell them about the Market, they aren’t aware it exists!  In a city of approximately 54,000 people this always surprises me…so…I decided to do what I could to put the North Bay Farmers’ Market in the spot light!
I’m somewhat biased but I think we have an amazing venue for the residents of North Bay to enjoy…we have much to tempt your senses from beautiful plants in the spring, rock gardens, potted plants, amazingly fresh produce, herbs, and sweet berries in season from vendors who are local to the area and who work hard to grow their crops for your enjoyment; delicious baking, honey and maple syrup and related products, frozen meats and ready-made foods, great jams, jellies, some sugar-free, the most amazing pickles that make your mouth water, chutneys, barbeque sauce, salsa, and antipasto.   Again all fresh, made with care with you the customer in mind. 

 Then to top it all off we have a wonderful group of local artisans who produce soaps, balms, etc., from natural ingredients, hand carved/crafted wood items, knitting, amazing dish cloths and dish towels made on the old fashion loom, we have blankets, and place mats…I’m sure they will outlive me; there are great tote bags, dog scarves and baby quilts.  We have jewelry designers, who use everything from sterling silver to treasures from the beach in their creations!  If you are looking for a greeting card we even have someone who makes those!  This season we have a booth where you can purchase fresh popcorn, coffee, tea, water, juice and soft drinks to go with it.  

There is always someone to entertain you every Saturday, which lends for a festive atmosphere to the Market…it is amazing the level of talent we have in our city.  If for no other reason you should stop by to hear some great local musicians/singers perform.  These great entertainers are Buskers in the true sense of the word…the Market does not pay them to perform, they rely on the generosity of the crowds for tips.  I applaud them…
Ken Black our talented balloon artist stops by each Saturday to entertain the kids with his amazing balloon creations…I’ve seen monkeys, flowers, swords, hats, faces, and even a vacuum, which was a great hit with the kids!
I was recently contacted by a face painter to participate in the Market…I have to say I was so excited as this is the one idea I had for the kids that I couldn’t follow through on…I’d looked for the past 3 years but wasn’t able to find someone who could come regularly.  I had a young lady by the name of Heidi but she usually had to work on Saturday.   When Melissa is face painting at the Market you won’t miss her as she comes with her face painted…so much fun!  

If you are wondering who will be performing at the Market on any given week, check out the Market Facebook page…  
http://www.facebook.com/pages/North-Bay-Farmers-Market/194088530611646
or my personal Facebook page  http://www.facebook.com/heather.cote.5    as I do a post each week with a photo and bio.

FYI…I’m always looking for new entertainers, singers, musicians, dancers, magicians, etc…send me an email if you would be interested in participating!!!

Each season we have a number of Festivals to add to the shopping enjoyment…this is the line up for this season:
May 19th, Opening Market Day 
May 26th, Pancake Festival  
 June 23rd, Strawberry festival  
June 30th, Canada Day 
July 14th, Customer Appreciation Day
August 11th, Corn Festival
September 8th, Garlic Festival
October 6th, Harvest Festival and End of Season Market  
Of course the dates are subject to change; always check the website for verification!

For information, questions or comments regarding the North Bay Farmers’ Market contact:
Nikoline Calcaterra - Communications Director
Soul Sister Creations
A-170 Oak Street West
North Bay, ON P1B 2S7
705-478-9473; 705-840-5630 or
info@northbayfarmersmarket.com
  
Have I caught your attention…I hope so that was my intention…stop by, visit with the vendors, listen to the entertainer, bring the kids.  You won’t be disappointed…I’m sure it won’t be your one and only visit!
Cheers…
www.azureislandsdesigns.blogspot.com
Northbayfarmersmarket.com


1 comment:

Thank you for taking the time to comment...it is truly appreciated!
Cheers