Surrey Urban Farmers Market is back for another summer at Royal Kwantlen Park, at 104 Avenue and Old Yale Road.
The market season kicks off Saturday, June 7, with EcoFest, held in partnership with the City of Surrey’s Environmental Extravaganza series of spring gatherings.
From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., it'll be "a fun-filled day with hands-on learning experiences, arts and crafts, music, storytelling, fresh food and good vibes," promises a post on a website where volunteers are sought.
Now held every Saturday in summer from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., North Surrey's weekly market (aka SUFM) is advertised as a grassroots, non-profit, volunteer-run organization in Whalley that helps support and give a platform to local farmers, artists, musicians and food producers, from June 7 to Oct. 4.
Maureen Goosen, vendor and director-at-large, said a 2025 market grand-opening event on June 14 will include a ribbon-cutting ceremony in the late morning.
"It is wonderful to be part of a community-minded farmers market, and the staff and fellow vendors are very supportive," Goosen told the Now-Leader. "Everything must be handmade, crafted, grown, harvested or baked, and we get to support B.C.-based and local small businesses.
A jewelry artist who creates pendants, earrings and bracelets from watch faces and hands, Goosen became a SUFM vendor last year.
"I use broken or no longer loved analog wristwatches, taking them apart to create new upcycled pieces, and recycling the rest," she explained.
She said it's fun to meet visitors at the market and chat with them about her jewelry and answer questions about the pieces. "There is always something new at my booth as I’m creating new pieces 'all the time.'"
The rain-or-shine market is tucked away in the large parking area of Royal Kwantlen Park, on a major bus route and a brief stroll from the Surrey Central bus loop/Skytrain, with accessible washrooms and free parking.
"Royal Kwantlen Park is more than just a marketplace, it boasts a vast playground, welcoming green spaces for picnics, areas for sports spectating, a modest skate park, a swimming pool and public restrooms," notes the BC Farmers Market Trail website.
Click on surreymarket.org for a list of Surrey Urban Farmers Market vendors, applications, volunteering info, recipes, newsletter sign-up and more.
