Imagine browsing around the eclectic stalls at the Duncan Farmers Market on a warm summer’s evening while music from the 39 Days of July drifts in from Charles Hoey Park.
Those in Cowichan may take the Duncan Farmers Market for granted, especially if they’ve grown up in the area and it is something that seems like it has always been there.
But we shouldn’t. The market, one of the eight largest in the entire province, is an absolute gem for both tourists and locals alike. On Saturday mornings it has been a hub of activity in the region, and we think it will draw even more people with the novelty of an evening/night market on select Thursdays from June through November.
Expanding into some evening hours is an inspired idea, one that we think will be wildly successful, on top of the already wildly successful Saturday mornings.
The economic impact of the Duncan Farmers Market was $5.6 million last year, with direct sales of 3.8 million. More than 115,000 people came to wander through the offerings, with those people spending $78,000 on an average day. That’s millions of dollars going to local artisans, farmers, food vendors and more. Money that circulates through the community.
It’s so successful that there are plenty more people who want in.
The market’s executive director recently told the Cowichan Valley Regional District board that while they already have 85 full-time vendors and 150 members, he gets about 150 applications for new vendors every month.
If you think that sounds like the market should expand, we agree. Apparently the stumbling blocks currently are power availability and space.
It would be well worth it to shut down more of/additional streets in downtown Duncan to accommodate a larger market. The more vendors, the more people it will draw, the more financially successful it is likely to be.
It’s also very likely that at least some of those people will go through the market, then take a walk around the rest of downtown, perhaps even stopping into a restaurant for a sit-down meal.
Market organizers deserve applause for how they have developed it to date. They have insured a great mix of local produce, yummy treats, and local artisans making everything from jewelry to cutting boards and soap.
No junk here, there’s always a new treasure around the corner (or tent flap).