Bolton residents Cristina Guardi and Jos Insalaco organizing market

By ZACHARY ROMAN

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Two Bolton residents are working together to host a vendor market that will benefit the Heart & Stroke Foundation.

Cristina Guardi and Jos Insalaco are the co-owners of Escape Your Reality Creativity, a business that's dedicated to changing the world of vendor markets.

From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on February 10, at the grand opening of the Humber River Centre (HRC) in Downtown Bolton, they're hosting a “Fight for Heart and Stroke” market. 

It will feature 20 local vendors selling a wide range of products like organic smoothies, jewelry, beard oils, beauty products, tumblers, and homemade apparel.

Guardi and Insalaco said it's important for them to support local businesses and vendors.

“We also like to give back to charity… every time we run a market we give back to a different charity,” they said.

For the upcoming market, local businesses have donated gift cards which will be raffled off. Proceeds from the raffle will be donated to the Heart & Stroke Foundation.

With Escape Your Reality Creativity being a business that's all about hosting markets, Guardi and Insalaco said it's amazing to have a space like the HRC open up in Caledon. One of the HRC's main features is that it has space for both indoor and outdoor markets. It will also be a home for small business support and collaboration in Caledon.

“It's a great opportunity… I think it's great for small businesses, for markets, and events in town,” said Guardi. “I think it's a great thing.”

Guardi and Insalaco attended markets as vendors themselves before starting their business a little over a year ago. They said they saw an opening to become a company that showcases the hard work and talent of local vendors who work really hard to create their products and get them out into the world.

“We really want to make a change…we really want to help these small businesses,” they said. “We're really grateful for our vendors that are loyal to us.”

Guardi and Insalaco said they're honoured to be a part of the grand opening of the HRC and said it's an amazing opportunity for their vendors, and their business.

“This gives us an opportunity to grow,” they said. 

More information on the upcoming market can be found on Instagram and Facebook @escapeyourrealitycreativity.