It was so busy, some vendors ran out of things to sell within a matter of hours.
Organizers of the first Fort Langley Vegan Market said attendance at the Saturday event was much larger than expected, with people lining up on the front lawn of the Fort Langley community hall to try vegan ice cream and other plant-based treats, then going inside to fill the second floor to capacity.
Brad Hawkings said some people had arrived on a charter bus from Seattle to take in the market.
“A lady told me they arrived on an Greyhound [type] bus,” Hawkings said.
He estimates turnout was in the “thousands.”
Hawkings and his wife Chelsea, co-owners of Simply Delish, thought there was an untapped market for vegan products in the Fraser Valley, but they weren’t sure how big.
“The Fraser Valley is starved for this.” he said.
“It’s beyond what we expected. Some vendors told us they brought enough for two or three days and they went through it all in a few hours.”
There were more than 30 vendors, and most told Hawkings they came with enough product for a few days of sales at an average public market.
READ MORE: Vegan market tempts tastebuds in Fort Langley on Saturday
“It was crazy,” he said.
“It was slamming all day.”
Hawkings expects there will be another market.
“We’ve been told [by many of the visitors] that we have to,” he said, laughing.
It was also a fundraiser for the Hawkings’ son’s school breakfast program.
Vendor fees, after costs, will be donated to the breakfast program at Fort Langley Elementary.
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Email: dan.ferguson@langleyadvancetimes.com
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