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Après at the new winter market

The Après-Ski Winter Market will be held once per month, from December until April

Alicia Wallace

Rossland News

A new winter market series has been confirmed for Rossland. The Après-Ski Winter Market will be held once per month, from December until April with the first event kicking off at the Miners’ Hall located on Columbia Avenue in Rossland, on Dec. 13 from 2 to 7 p.m.

This past summer the Rossland Mountain Market, also organizing the winter market, experienced their most successful year to date. As a result they want to expand their market calendar to include the winter months as well. Market organizers surveyed the community and received an across the board consensus that a winter market is desired in Rossland.

Market organiser, Miche Warwick, assures readers the Kootenay’s finest locally available winter food and goods will be showcased to live music at these events. The winter market is an important step for improving Rossland’s local food security.

“This event has arisen due to the need our community has for local food and goods during the winter season. During the winter when we aren’t farming, our access to local produce definitely weakens, but it isn’t non-existent. We need to create a venue for those who still have things to offer,” Warwick said.

Warwick hopes the market will entice residents to eat a diet made up of locally sourced, seasonal produce. She wants the market to be educational as well as social.

“These events will hopefully provide some knowledge on how to eat more seasonally. Seeing what is available locally during the winter months will hopefully help facilitate people to change their diets. Our food security depends on eating sustainably. A step in this positive direction is the winter farmer’s market,” explains Warwick.

The organizer anticipates the winter market will bring 300-600 people to downtown Rossland for each event. She explains that being the first time the organization has tried a winter market, this first one will be an experiment.

“We’re going for the ‘after-ski’ crowd because we can appreciate what people really want to do on a snowy Saturday morning, and it likely doesn’t involve contemplating over pickled carrots or dried zucchini. At the end of the day when folks need some warming up, we’re offering an awesome indoor social gathering place filled with great live music, good food and unique local art,” said Warwick.

Warwick says 20 vendors have been confirmed for the winter market, where readers should be prepared to find seasonally available food. Just don’t expect to find tomatoes and peppers at these markets though as it is not the growing season for these produce varieties.

The December market offers great Christmas shopping where you may find that perfect gift from an array of glass blown art, paintings, jewelry, clothing, preserved and dried foods, soaps, candles, hand spun and hand-dyed yarns and much more.

Wendy from Kootenay Natural Meats will also have chicken, beef, pork, and turkey at the markets which are being held once a month on Saturdays. Next year’s events will be held on Jan. 31, Feb. 21, March 21 and April 18.

 

Warwick encourages everyone to gather with friends and come to the market after an epic first day on the ski hill. Warm up to soul-moving local music, delicious food and wickedly amazing unique art. For more details visit www.rosslandmountainmarket.com.