It may be dubbed a Kids Fun Market, but it’s an event that offers fun for the whole family.
Live, Love, Shop Local, which promotes and supports local and small businesses across Clarence-Rockland is hosting a Kids Fun Market on Sept. 22 just outside the Canadian International Hockey Academy, which is located at 8710 County Road 17 in Rockland.
The market is also featuring a garage sale, and takes place from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m.
“We are expecting this market to be our biggest one yet this year,” said Chantal Cleroux, who helped launch Live, Love, Shop Local. “It’s back to school, people are back from their cottages and back to a sense of normalcy.”
Live, Love, Shop Local hosts one market a month, and features several different vendors and their original creations.
They hold one night market a year, in July, at Simon Park.
“A lot of our vendors come back and want to be part of the different markets,” added Cleroux. “The people have really responded well; we have seen some great turnouts which is great support for our local vendors.”
Cleroux loves creating home décor and wanted a way to support local businesses across the municipality.
She undertook the Live, Love, Shop Local initiative with her sister-in-law, and her kids and husband help out too on market days.
“People start out as vendors, but we all become friends as we get to know each other,” said Cleroux. “We help promote each other’s businesses.”
The markets are also used as fundraising opportunities in support of local organizations.
For next month’s market and garage sale, Live, Love, Shop Local is helping raise funds for Valoris Prescott-Russell.
“We want to help the community any way we can,” added Cleroux.
Cleroux said the quality of the markets are impacted by weather patterns. The August market was dealt a bad hand, with rain resulting in a lot less foot traffic than anticipated. Cleroux hopes Mother Nature cooperates for the September market and garage sale.
For more information on the September market, from vendor information to what activities will be available for visitors, visit Live, Love, Shop Local on Facebook.
