Trail Market on the Esplanade will be packing up the tents and moving to the warm indoors of the Cominco Gym, but not before one last date in Jubilee Park Oct. 11, and a Spooktacular send off at the end of the month.
“If you didn’t get the chance to visit the market this summer, don’t worry,” said Andrea Jolly, Trail’s communication and events coordinator.
An outdoor market on the Esplanade will return Oct. 26 from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. when the city and chamber of commerce host an open invitation Halloween party, called Spooktacular Crypt Kickin’, in downtown Trail that day.
The indoor market will go two Fridays in November (Nov. 8 and Nov. 29) and once during the Christmas season, Dec. 13, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., confirmed Jolly.
Coun. Eleanor Gattafoni-Robinson requested fellow council members to waive gym fees for the three indoor dates at the Sept. 23 governance meeting.
“Like last year, everyone is still in,” she said.
“Our vendors are already asking about moving indoors so we expect continued success.”
Last year’s indoor market hosted up to 40 vendors selling unique gifts, funky clothes, handmade soaps, fresh vegetables and fruit and whimsical baking to large crowds of people ranging from toddlers to retirees.
“There will be a little something for everyone,” said Gattafoni-Robinson. “The more the merrier and good for the vendors to showcase and sell their products.”
Over the summer, 119 vendors set up shop along the Esplanade, with an average 600 people walking through downtown.
“I’ve had conversations with people from Calgary, even different parts of the world, who were just passing through town,” explained the councillor. “They happened to see the tents set up, came over to have a look and thought the market was wonderful.”
The 2013 market has been another huge success and grown into even more this year, said Norm Casler, Trail chamber of commerce executive director.
“The Trail Market has been good for tourism in that many people from out of town did find out about the market,” he said. “And they were very pleasantly surprised by the number and variety of vendors and the beautiful location.”
Many locals who were entertaining out-of-town company found the market one of the best things to do in Trail this summer, he added.