Love for local Shopathon

By Corrine Gadke

On August 15^th, Whitecourt & District Chamber of Commerce teamed together with the local Farmer’s Market. It hosted, Love for Local Shopathon, a one-day shopping experience with local businesses and vendors participating in Whitecourt’s downtown core. 

The Whitecourt & District Chamber of Commerce worked together with local businesses. It featured in-store promotions, draws, hourly door crasher sales, a scavenger hunt with prize package, and sidewalk sales.

The smell of mini donuts and kettle corn from two food vendors gave the outside marketplace a familiar feeling of a hometown street fair. Each vendor had their own unique products which gave a refreshing experience to one of the first Whitecourt events since the COVID pandemic started.

A highlight of the event was the Farmers Market and Vendors, seeing approximately 300 plus consumers steady streaming through the indoor and outdoor set up of 29 venders from Whitecourt, Blue Ridge, Goose Lake, Edson, Westlock, Thorsby, Mayerthorpe, Barrhead, Yellowhead County, Onoway, Edmonton and Leduc.

Regular vendors from Whitecourt’s Tuesday Farmer’s Market included; Homemade and Handmade by Karen,  Apothic Custom’s,  C.C. Soaps & Stuff, Anyone Can Pick Gardens, Fashion Fusion by Dani, Owner, Custom Wood Burning by Pamela, The Re-Treat, VoxxLife, Crazy Legs, Norwex, Deb’s Creations & Concoctions, Pampered Chef, Red Apple BC Fruit, Super Dips, Organic Vegetables,  Watkin’s-Pearl McKay, Sandy’s  Homemade Cards for all Occasions, Judy’s Kitchen, Tupperware-Sharon Stochinski, Sunny Bend Hutterite Colony and Monicas Crafts & Baking. The majority of vendors can be found on Facebook.

New to the market this year of new businesses were Lunatics with saws, Tranquility Lava Stone Jewelry, Petals & Pretties, Klarabella Boutique, Modere -Tannis Stuckless and Lori Daniels, Klein Custom Kreations and Crystalline Photography by Crystal Quast. Each of these new home-based businesses can be found online.

Whitecourt District & Chamber of Commerce said, “Buying local benefits everyone in our community. By making conscious decisions to support local merchants, food growers, and service providers, we embrace our local economy and empower our town, neighbours, and ourselves to grow and thrive.”

Jen Beausejour, new Manager of the Farmer’s Market and prominent organizer of the event, quoted, “It was a huge success! Helping support local families is why we do this!”

Farmer’s Market Board member, Karen Dersh, commented, “On behalf of the Farmer’s Market, we would like to thank you for the community and vendors’ support. Thank you Chamber, it’s been a real vendor booster!”