Yellowknife farmers’ market feels ‘bigger, more joyous’ in 2021

Yellowknife’s farmers’ market kicked off its season on Tuesday evening. The market, at Somba K’e Civic Plaza, runs every Tuesday from 5:15pm to 7:15pm.

Market organizers say 15 new vendors are selling goods at the market this summer, including the likes of Fishy People, Wing Freak, Aurora Grill, Bora’s Table, and A Taste of Southern Africa.

Covid-19 measures similar to those used last year remain in place: hand sanitization on entry, social distancing measures, a one-way path to follow, and a limit of 175 people in the market area.

Nia Reid, manager of the market, said live music and a harvest table are back for this summer.

“This already feels like a bigger, more joyous gathering of people than it last year, and I feel very grateful that we are even allowed to have such a large gathering outside and bring the community together,” she said on Tuesday at the year’s first market.

“I think that’s something that we’ve really been missing over the past year since the pandemic started.”

Nikki Tews, who runs the John Sawyer Designs booth, is selling polymer clay jewellery at the market for the first time.

Tews said the home-based business decided to join the market because her family isn’t travelling this year and they’ve always enjoyed the market and its vendors.

“I think we just like to make people feel good, empower our lovely people here in Yellowknife, and create a really high-quality earring,” she said.  

“This year we thought why not, let’s throw our hat in.”

Fishy People’s Niki Mckenzie said: “We believe in no fish left behind, so we are as close to a zero-waste facility as we can get.

“We take fish from the lake and we manipulate it into different products … we take all the fish that was labelled as bycatch by the fishermen and use that to make sausages, fish cakes, pies, all kinds of stuff.”

Shoppers can also pick up a treat for their four-legged pals in the form of a fish head.

Focusing on sustainability, the market encourages people to compost and bring reusable food containers. A “loyalty card” program helps people who bring containers to save money.  

“I think the program is really good because it encourages people,” said Sophie Mahon, a 15-year-old summer student who is the market’s composting coordinator.

“I know if I get stuff for free, I’m way more encouraged to bring reusable cutlery and stuff.”

The market will run weekly until August 31. There will be two indoor markets later this year on September 14 and 28.