Port Alberni boasts of some fantastic farmers’ markets. The only problem is there are too many to keep track.
At last count, and let us know if we missed any, there are eight: Cherry Creek Farmer’s Market on Saturdays, Spirit Square Farmer’s Market on Saturdays and the Craft Market on Sundays, Sunset Market on Wednesday nights at Clutesi Haven Marina, the mid-week Uptown Urban Market, View Street Market, Farmer Bill’s Farm Market and Arrowvale Farm Market.
OK, nine: we forgot Naesgaard’s Farm Market, which has more permanent digs on River Road.
That’s an impressive number of farm markets, and speaks well of our burgeoning agriculture here in the Alberni Valley.
But gee, that’s a lot of markets to keep track of.
While we appreciate the service every one of these markets provides, we would love to see one large market on a weekend day and a coordinated effort during the week for the smaller markets.
The Comox Valley has managed to make their Saturday farmers’ market a destination for both locals and out-of-towners. They have one location on Saturday that moves indoors somewhere around October, and the indoor location is always the same.
They also have a Wednesday market that started in their downtown core and moved to a park when it outgrew the downtown parking lot.
All of their markets are busy, thriving entities, bustling with music, vendors and prosperity. We’d love to see that here.
— ALBERNI VALLEY NEWS
