Successful outdoor market to continue indoors
By Tayla Scott
The Trail Outdoor Market has met with such success, it is now continuing indoors.
A joint initiative between the City of Trail, the Downtown Opportunities and Action Planning and the Chamber of Commerce, the Trail Market had its debut on June 15 on the esplanade near Jubilee Park. A committee, including city councillor Eleanor Gattafoni Robinson and Chamber of Commerce representatives, was formed to organize the events.
“It (exceeded expectations) in every way. We doubled the amount of vendors we thought we’d have,” said Gattafoni Robinson, adding roughly 278 vendors have attended in all, working out to an average of 28 vendors per market. “[Vendor feedback] was very, very positive.”
Currently more than 5,300 people have attended the biweekly markets collectively. On Nov. 2, the markets were relocated to the Cominco Arena Gymnasium, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and will continue each Friday from Nov. 16 to Dec. 14. At Trail city council’s most recent meeting Nov. 13, Gattafoni Robinson said 40 vendors are already signed up for this week’s market.
When asked if the event will continue in 2013 Gattafoni Robinson said, “We’re saying yes, we’re hoping we can do it next year. The committee is very positive about what we’re doing.”
She explained the purpose of the Trail Market was to, “attract people to the downtown core. To make the people attending walk into downtown Trail and into the stores. There was very positive feedback [from storeowners] about increase in sales and foot traffic. Did it attract people into the downtown core? Absolutely.”
Tourists and travellers from Calgary, Edmonton, Spokane, Colville and California were, “awestricken. They loved the view of the river and all the flowers,” said Gattafoni Robinson, who attends every market. “It’s been a wonderful addition to the downtown core. There are lots of people to socialize with there.”
The committee scheduled the markets so as to avoid conflicting schedules with similar events in neighbouring towns, and hope to resume their operations in spring of 2013.
Gattafoni Robinson also said there’s the potential for more downtown events to work in concert with the market, such as an artwalk, but added, “We’re not there yet”.
