Farmers Market opens for season Saturday

Make way for the market.

The 200 block of St. Paul Street springs to life on Saturday as Kamloops Farmers Market’s 38^th season gets underway.

Ed Basile, president of the farmers market society, said they are introducing several changes designed to attract more customers and accommodate a younger demographic.

A pilot project is aimed specifically at women in the 35-45 age category in hopes of generating more traffic. One aspect is to promote free parking.

“We’re trying to add the convenience of a shopping parkade, but at a farmers market,” he said.

Parking is available for free in the City-owned parkade across from Kamloops Square on Seymour Street, compensating for a lack of on-street parking due to the popularity of the market. Basile said it came as a surprise to learn, after all these years, that parkade parking was free all along.

Market hours have been extended, no running from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. As well, the market is planning to provide an ATM on site, though that won’t be available on Saturday, Basile said.

A fresh crop of what he describes as “young agrarians” is expected to join the market this season. They’re local, small-plot farmers and gardeners who herald a change in the regional growing sector.

At this time of season, shoppers should find a variety of root vegetables, herbs, honey, crafts and home-based businesses at the market.

An expanded Wednesday farmers market begins on May 7 with vendors lining both sides of Victoria Street’s 400 block.

Though it took root in its current form in the late 1970s, a farmers market originated in the city a century ago, in 1914. The first market was located at the site of the Plaza Heritage Hotel. Sixteen vendors sold most of their produce in the first hour. It closed in 1919 after interest waned.