In the last four years, the Esquimalt Farmers Market has taken home gold in the B.C. market awards three times.
Winning the 2020 award for best large B.C. farmers market meant something different though, said Katrina Dwulit, founder of the market. Adapting an event intended for community and gathering to pandemic standards was hard.
“To highlight one market, or even one person, in this particular year was a daunting task for the judges,” said Jon Bell, an awards judge. “In truth, everyone deserves an award for the creative ways in which farmers markets in B.C. successfully navigated the myriad of requirements and restrictions that the 2020 season presented.”
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While last year was spent constantly adapting, Dwulit said they are ready for 2021 and “the market is set up for success this year.”
After running it for the past six years though, she has decided to step aside as executive director. However, her dedication to promoting local producers hasn’t stopped. Last year, in response to non-food vendors being banned from markets, Dwulit helped found a community collective pop-up shop in the Bay Centre. Market Collective hosts a curated selection of Canadian-made goods from 92 artisans.
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Dwulit will also still be around the farmers market as a volunteer. “It’s still my local market down the street,” she said.
This year, the market will be run weekly out of Memorial Park starting April 1. Just like last year, organizers are asking that one person per household come to shop and that they treat it like a grocery store experience.
More information can be found at esquimaltmarket.com.
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