It’s Christmas craft fair season and the Medieval Market will return to Williams Lake on November 21 and 22.The Market will continue to offer unique handcrafted gifts from artisans from around British Columbia, as well as fresh produce from local growers. There will be live entertainers all day and a full concession to make it a family-friendly community event.
Now happily relocated to the Williams Lake Campus of Lake City Secondary on Carson Drive, and with over 90 vendors, the Market will expand into more of the many interesting spaces in the school. There will be three well-marked entrances to the Market this year: two on Carson Drive and one on Comer Street.
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 A wards provides two bursaries, each for $750, for students in financial need who are pursuing a future in the arts. Two big purchases in 2014 were a plumbed-in water bottle filling station for the students to encourage water consumption and musical equipment for the guitar class. Assistance is provided for busing students to Scout Island Nature Centre and teacher volunteers earn money towards extracurricular programs of their choosing.
All wares for sale at the Market are handmade by the artisans. When you purchase something at the Market, you are buying something unique and beautiful, and you know your dollars will stay in the community. Along with returning favourite vendors selling pottery, weaving, jewellery, original art, clothing, books, hand-carved old fashioned Santas, 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 many new vendors.
These include Marilene Bleau of Planet Souvenirs, the Cariboo Piecemakers with their quilted items, Judy Coe with her felted hats and slippers, the 108 Sausage Company, Quille Farnham’s fine art, VernaGainer’s wooden signs and snowmen, Elissa Heser’s wooden signs, Beth Holden’s glass mosaics, Amber Horne’s handmade upcycled bags, Coral Keehn’s original art and prints, Karina Lajoie’s jewellery, Sharon Meyer’s therapeutic magnetics, Patti Perrault’s sterling silver and gemstone jewellery, Tony Savile’s woodcarved fairy and hobbit houses, Sharon Sipes’ 3D paper tole art and crocheted Barbie clothes, and Pat Suter’s wildlife photography.
In a special event for kids of all ages, the Potato House will be pairing with local photographers to offer old-fashioned photos with Santa as a fundraiser for the Potato House.
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 Quartet, youth fiddlers, Carmen Mutschele, Dena Bauman, Brandon Hoffman, Brent Morton, Troy Forcier, Sharon Hoffman, Harry Jennings, Angie Holdal, guitar students, and more. Special guest returning for the weekend from SFU is Kylie Gill. Watch for the entertainment programme on Facebook (Medieval Market Williams Lake) or on our website (www.williamslakemedievalmarket.com). The musical component of the market is generously supported this year by the Cariboo Regional District and the City of Williams Lake through the Central Cariboo Arts and Culture Society.
The concession features hearty soups and wraps, smokies, treats, and Uncle Paul’s coffee.
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. Random tickets are marked as door prize winners. If you receive one of these on your way in, you will be able to select one of the door prizes in the display case.
Admission is $5 for the weekend or $3 for Sunday only (kids under 12 are free). It’s November 21 and 22 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.
Medieval Market Vendors: Bringing the Season of Giving Alive
By LeRae Haynes —
Steve Doucette and Lindsay Neufeld are back at the Medieval Market with their popular, eye-catching jewelry, including one-of-a-kind necklaces, bracelets made from table cutlery, and funky, fun earrings. Forks and spoons have been transformed into perfect accessories for yourself or unique gifts for someone on your Christmas list. Warning: this booth at the Medieval Market causes frequent double-takes and exclamations of delight!
For those who love the natural beauty of wood and want to support a non-profit initiative for local kids, Andrew Hutchinson from the Williams Lake Woodshop will have decorative, practical wooden crates made by high school woodshop students, as well as end-grain cutting boards and more. These items represent recycling start to finish, as well as a sense of pride for the kids who made them.
Bulrush baskets, hand-painted animal rocks, and exquisitely painted gourds will catch the eye and the imagination at Debbie Lloyd’s vendor booth at the Medieval Market. Her husband also makes hearts out of horseshoes and garden hoes out of saw blades— recycling made beautiful.
Textures and colours make a spectacular tapestry at Eve Hoelzler’s market display, where her weaving and knitting are a feast for the senses. Scarves, towels, blankets, clothing, and baby items—there is something for everyone. Find something for you or a loved one, from warm and fuzzy wear for crisp cool weather to a shiny, soft summer scarf that floats like a cloud.
Popular local potter Bev Pemberton will be back at the Market with functional and beautiful pottery in her distinctive dragonfly design. This is where to find the perfect dish for baking, eating, serving, decoration, sipping, or pouring. Bev and skilled local potter, Cary Burnett, are sharing a booth, pooling their artistry to bring you stunning gift ideas for the season and all year round.
Katie Chaffee and her family are back by popular demand, with an array of items that represent holiday baking, woodworking, and antiquing at their finest. Rustic, woodsy, and whimsical, these items include bird houses, wooden stars, serving trays, signs, candle holders, alphabet blocks, and iPod speakers. Exquisitely painted, they are filled with personality and charm and will make a delightful addition to any home or garden.
Hand-painted ceramics bring a fabulous flavour to the Market, thanks to the artistry of Quille Farnham, who will also display engaging and alluring paintings that focus on light and everything made intriguing by its presence. She has wind chimes, dragon’s egg bowls, and more—lovely, ethereal, and unique. New to the Medieval Market, her booth is certain to welcome visitors to bask in the presence of beauty and enhance their overall experience.
Engage your heart, your spirit, and your love of beauty with the paintings of Jim Savage. Contemporary realism meets connection to the natural world in his work, and every picture tells a compelling story. He will paint on site, adding enhancements to even his high-quality reproductions, making them one-of-a-kind. They are indeed images from the heart.
