Old Vendors, New Vendors, and Why May 3 Matters

Every market season is a little different from the last.

Some vendors come back. Some take a break. Some move on to other things — bigger markets, different seasons, new chapters. And some people show up for the first time, nervous and excited, with a tent and a table and something they made and a hope that someone will want it.

That turnover is not a weakness. It is how a market stays alive. A farmers market that never changes is not reflecting its community. It is just a photograph of one moment — and moments pass.

We are heading into the 2026 season and we are thinking about both kinds of people right now. The ones who have been here before. And the ones who have not yet.

To the vendors who were here last season

Thank you for being part of what made the market what it was. Whether you are planning to return, still deciding, or moving in a different direction — your presence mattered. The people who came every Sunday to find your table, buy your eggs, your jam, your bread, your jewellery — they noticed. They will ask about you.

If you are thinking about coming back, we would love to hear from you. If something about last season did not work and you want to talk it through, we are open to that conversation. The market is a community organization and that means the people in it get to shape what it becomes.

To the vendors who have never been here

The 2026 season is a real opportunity. Our fees are low. Our community is loyal. Our market team is small and genuine and genuinely glad to help you figure out whether this is the right fit. You do not need to have everything sorted before you apply. You just need to make or grow something and want to share it with your neighbours.

We have had vendors who started with a single product and a borrowed tent and built something real over a few seasons. We have had vendors who came for one summer and used what they learned to go somewhere else — and that is a good outcome too. The market is a starting point for a lot of people, and we are proud of that.

Why May 3 matters

The Pre-Season Community Gathering on May 3 is not a formal information session. It is a chance to come and see who runs this market, ask the questions you have been sitting with, and get a feel for whether this is a place you want to be.

Old vendors, new vendors, curious people who are not sure yet — all of you are welcome. Come as you are. No commitment required.

Sunday, May 3, 2026 — 1:00 to 3:00 pm Emmanuel Church Parish Hall 322 Herring Cove Road, Spryfield The hall is behind the church.

Register above or find out more at spryfieldmarket.ca/get-involved.

We will be there. We hope you will be too.

The Market Has a Way of Pulling You In

It was raining the first time someone showed up to volunteer at the Spryfield Farmers Market.

They didn't know anyone. They weren't sure they were needed. They just knew they wanted to be part of something — the local food movement, yes, but also something harder to name. Community. The kind you bump into, not the kind you schedule.

So they showed up anyway, in the rain, and got to work.

They met other volunteers that day. They met board members. They kept coming back — Sundays, season after season — and somewhere in the rhythm of it, those people stopped being strangers. One of them spotted this person out in the neighbourhood one day, stopped to chat, and asked if they'd ever thought about joining the board. They said yes. And just like that, what started as a rainy Sunday became something they'd carry with them for years.

That's how a lot of people find their place at this market. Not through a formal process. Not because they had everything figured out. They just showed up, and the market met them where they were.

These things take time. Relationships form slowly, then all at once. The market has survived venue changes, a pandemic, and all the adventures a scrappy neighbourhood market tends to collect. And the people who make it what it is keep coming back — not because they have to, but because something about it sticks.

It's market season again, and we are looking for vendors, volunteers, and musicians to be part of it.

If you've been on the fence — wondering if your product is ready, if you'll know what to do, if there's really room for someone like you — here's what we can tell you: most of the people here felt that way once. You don't need to have it all figured out. You just need to show up.

The Spryfield Farmers Market is a neighbourhood market. It is not precious or perfect. It is full of people who arrived not knowing anyone and left feeling like regulars. That's how most of us got here.

We'd love to see you this season. To find out more about getting involved as a vendor, volunteer, or musician, visit our Get Involved page at spryfieldmarket.ca or send us an email at spryfieldfarmersmarket@gmail.com. You can also find us on Facebook at facebook.com/spryfieldmarket and on Instagram at @spryfieldmarket.

We'll be there. Rain or shine.