Christmas is around the corner and many of us are thinking about gifts for friends and family. Of course, gifts that you make yourself are the best. But if you just don’t have time, or aren’t that handy, you can purchase beautiful handmade gifts at the Medieval Market and still feel good about your ecological footprint and your social conscience. And you can enjoy a mini music festival and support local youth at the same time!
Gifts you buy at the Medieval Market are all handmade in British Columbia by artisans, and most are made in the Cariboo. No sweatshops. There will once again be a Farmer’s Market with local garlic, root vegetables, and those famous Mackin Creek carrots. When you purchase something at the market, not only are you buying something unique and beautiful, you also know your dollars will stay in the community. And the Columneetza Greenologists and the Grade 7 Outdoor Education class will team up with Mary Forbes to recycle everything they can to make it a waste-free event.
Along with returning favourite vendors selling pottery, weaving, jewelry, original art, clothing, books, children’s toys, beeswax products, wreaths and garlands, hats and mitts, quilting, glassware, wood products, felting, musical instruments, photography, hand-tooled leather products, wooden pens, wood carvings, herbal products, furniture, baskets, olive oil products, and draw knives, we are happy to include over 30 new vendors.
New vendors include Grace Adamson with her crystals, Jim Benson’s hand-turned pens and seam-rippers, Claire Bertoli’s Paper Mae, Shalene Ostrom with Sassy X-stitching, Keith Chapman’s Intarsia Wood Art, Jackie Chipp’s Celestial Organic Herbs, Enola Chrona’s hand-beaded moccasins and mittens, Trish Chung’s felted fashion and art, Jan and Marcel Derepentigny’s Wild Things in Wood, Fancoise Dutoit’s Hillside Garden Produce, Laurie Embree’s Pine Branch Pottery which includes ceramic sinks, Christine Folster-Mason’s Country Decorations, Lindsay Harrison and Olivia Steward’s Strong Rocks and Small Town Lettering Company, Zephyira Holdal’s Rogue-Z Crafts, Tara Holloway’s Finn and Ark Children’s clothing, Andrea Hughes’ and Deena Rhodes’ quilting, Margaret Inoue’s Cocoaro Craft Chocolate, Sheila McQuarrie’s silver jewelry, Mareike Moore’s sewing and zentangles, Lindsay Neufeld’s fine art, Cheryl Norquay’s upcycled glass and art, Donna Patterson’s sauerkraut, Mariah Reimer’s wood carvings, Sarah Shortreed’s barnwood picture frames, Shari and Ueli Suter’s produce and Weald Wood, Gerry Tenning’s metal décor, Betty and Brian Thomas’ horseshoe art, and the Society for Creative Anachronisms with Medieval weaving.
The Potato House will again be pairing with local photographers to offer old fashioned photos with Santa.
An exciting addition to the entertainment will be demonstration medieval fights that will take place on the main stage between music sets. Music will feature some long-time favourites and many new performers on two stages. Musicians include Christine Constabel and Sherry Taylor, Jean Wellburn and Jola Jarecki, Quintet Plus, the Big Lake Symphony Orchestra, youth fiddlers, Cariboo Men’s Choir, Carmen Mutschele, Dena Bauman, Craig Armstrong, Brandon Hoffman, Sharon Hoffman, Harry Jennings, guitar students, and many more local favourites. Watch for the entertainment program on facebook (Medieval Market Williams Lake) or on our website http://www.williamslakemedievalmarket.com/.
The concession features hearty soups and wraps, smokies, treats, and Uncle Paul’s coffee.
The Medieval Market is organized entirely by volunteers so all profits go to Lake City Secondary Students. Students working throughout the weekend earn money towards basketball, soccer, rugby, leadership, music, and dry grad fees. The Emerging Artist Awards provide two bursaries, each for $750, for students in financial need who are pursuing a future in the arts. Assistance is provided for busing students to Scout Island Nature Centre and teacher volunteers earn money towards extracurricular programs of their choosing.
So make a day of it. Come and peruse the market stalls, buy a few Christmas presents, enjoy a hearty lunch, and listen to the talented entertainers. Maybe you’ll even win one of the many door prizes donated by the vendors.
And you can feel good knowing that, while you are shopping, you are contributing to the local economy, supporting local youth, and helping to make our planet a little bit greener.
Admission is $5 for the weekend or $3 for just Sunday (kids under 12 free). It’s November 19 and 20 from 10 until 4 at the Williams Lake Campus of Lake City Secondary on Carson Drive. If you are bringing a stroller, we suggest you might prefer to shop on Sunday, when it is a little quieter.
