It'll be all treats and no tricks at the final Cedar Farmers Market of the year on Sunday, marking the conclusion of another immensely successful season. (Cedar Farmers Market)

By Alex Rawnsley

all treats, no tricks

Cedar Farmers Market set for spooky Sunday finale

Oct 29, 2023 | 5:58 AM

NANAIMO — It’s the final edition of another immensely successful season of local produce and artisanal goods.

The Cedar Farmers Market will wrap up its formal 2023 season on Sunday, Oct. 29 with a Halloween-themed affair featuring many of the booths and businesses thousands have enjoyed all summer.

Katrina Darwin, market manager, told NanaimoNewsNOW they’re pulling out all the stops to make it a memorable event.

“We have trick or treating, we have live music with Andy McCormack, we even have a costume contest happening this year. We’ve got over 90 vendors, all sorts of really cool fan favourites that we’ve seen throughout the year but also some drop-ins that haven’t been available for the whole season.”

The market runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the field behind the former Woodbank elementary school on Woobank Rd.

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Gates open at 9:30 a.m. for seniors and those with challenges requiring a quieter and less busy shopping experience.

Darwin said even if someone’s been coming to the market regularly, there will be something new.

“Even with the same vendors, you’re going to see different products, especially with the produce vendors. But we also have vendors who are not available in one part of the year or the other, or they just have a product that just doesn’t do super well in the beginning of the spring, but it’s fantastic leading up to Christmas.”

Roughly 2,000 to 2,500 people make it out to the market on any given Sunday, making Cedar one of the largest regular events on the Island.

In 2022, Cedar was named the top large market in B.C. by the provincial association for farmer’s markets and a 2023 study estimated the event pumps around $3.7 million into the local economy each year.

Despite this weekend marking the end of the 2023 season, one more event is on the horizon.

The Cedar Winter Market will run Sunday, Nov. 12, also on the field on Woobank Rd. and feature a 50-50 mix of handmade artisan goods as well as food and farm products.

Around 100 vendors are already signed up.

Darwin said it’s the perfect opportunity to pick up something local and handmade for Christmas, and the final opportunity to visit the market until next spring.

More information on the market is available on their website.

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