Sarah Louise F.
Yelp
Whenever I visit Edmonton on the weekend, my pops and I have a set morning routine in place on Saturdays. First, brunch at Padnamadis. Then, hang outs at the Old Strathcona Farmer's Market, followed by Whyte's Avenue.
There are a couple reasons I love this Farmer's Market, and why I consider you Edmontonians very lucky folks...
Firstly, it is in an accessible location to the general public. I love that people can actually walk, cycle, or take transit here if they need to. There is nothing that bothers me more than when a city gathers a bunch of local farmers and artisans in one place, then puts them in the middle of inaccessible NOWHERE, in a location that can only be reached by car, and just barely by transit (cough, Calgary). Having this market in such a great location makes it available to more people who might like to support their local agriculturists, artisans, and artists.
The market building is no frills and utilitarian, therefore it does not look like a yuppy shopping mall and is makes effective use of space. This really seems like a true Farmer's Market to me, with less of a commercialized vibe, and more of a focus on the vendors. No incredibly fancy stalls here owned by businesses that already have a billion storefronts around the city.
Best of all, I love the remarkable variety that I find everytime I visit here. Not only is there a reasonable selection of produce, there is also prepared food, preserves, local artists, coffee, tea, Albertan wine, etc. This is definitely a good way to spend a Saturday morning or afternoon.
High fives, Old Strathcona. You're doing it right!