Vendor markets return to Caledon East for local summer shopping

Rock Garden Farms began hosting markets last summer

By Zachary Roman

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, many local artisans and businesses that would normally sell at markets suffered. Due to safety restrictions, markets could not be held.

But last year, Caledon East's Rock Garden Farms partnered with The Prestige Market and The Mini Regal Market to host an outdoor market series on its property. Rock Garden manager Margaret Galati said it was the perfect way to safely support vendors, since she had the space to accommodate them.

This year, the markets are back and have been a success so far, for both the vendors and Rock Garden Farms. There's no admission fee and there are fun things for kids to do like a bouncy castle and balloon animals. Food trucks also come to the markets to share their cuisine.

“People actually like the outdoor experience, to walk around. It's safe, it's just a nice thing to do on a Sunday or Saturday afternoon with the family,” said Galati. “My customers… were asking, ‘When are you doing the market again? Is the vendor market coming?'... people like somewhere to go, so I'm happy to do it again.”

Ursula Romeo, owner of The Mini Regal Market, a business that organizes markets such as the one going on this summer at Rock Garden Farms, organized the market there alongside Melissa Spina, owner of The Prestige Market. Romeo said this year, now that pandemic restrictions have lifted, organizing markets has been much easier.

“We're allowed to have more people and it's great. And we're just really trying to support local and really get people to come out and support local. Margaret gives us this beautiful space and we've had like four or five events here this year, so it's amazing. We have a few more coming up in August and then in September,” said Romeo. “The one that we did two weeks ago, I coordinated with the strawberry picking… Margaret's clientele came for strawberry picking and we had this (market) set up, and a lot of people were going back and forth which was really nice.”

Romeo said she's thankful for Galati and Rock Garden Farms supporting local businesses. She said she does events all over the Greater Toronto Area, but that the community in Caledon is very close-knit and generous when it comes to supporting local.

The next vendor market will take place at Rock Garden Farms is on August 7.