Fredericton Farmers Market: A Festive and Friendly Fall!
Fredericton, NB—People of all ages and backgrounds gather at the Fredericton Boyce Farmers Market on Saturdays to do their food and holiday shopping.
Even with the cold approaching, the market is still a main attraction of the city and vendors are even looking forward to the fall and winter seasons. In fact, the market is stocked with all the delicious goodies and decorations you need for the fall. They have everything from corn, apples, maple syrup, to pumpkins and more. Their pumpkins come in all shapes and sizes, perfect for decorating and carving for Halloween celebrations!
A popular fall attraction at the market is the pumpkins. They have big, small, round, and oddly shaped ones for sale. (Erin Hurley/STU Journalism)
Many vendors also have family businesses that depend on the seasonal needs of customers. For instance, Jane Scot sells her brother’s maple syrup in the fall and her father’s Christmas trees and wreaths when the winter rolls around. She says, “I sell maple syrup right now. We’ll also be selling Christmas trees and wreaths, so our family does both. My father has a Christmas tree farm and my brother does maple syrup, this is his business, so I’m just sort of part of the family business.”
This young boy and his mother purchase Jane Scot’s maple syrup. (Erin Hurley/STU Journalism)
The farmers market can also be a great place to connect with family, friends, and even strangers. It has been an important aspect of Scot’s life for a long time. “I have been a vendor close to 25 years. I started when I was quite young and still in school, so I’ve been coming for quite a while.” She, like many other experienced vendors, has worked at the market for decades and still enjoys coming every Saturday.
Especially now, it is important to have places that encourage social interaction given the isolation of the pandemic. The market offers this in a safe, masked setting. Scot attests to the many changes the market has undergone due to the virus, but she supports the safety measures that have been put in place. “[There are] a lot of safety precautions but that’s all very good. It’s all just part of it—they’re keeping the market safe which is very good. Things are starting to turn back to normal and the market is coming back to the way it used to be.”
Students like Anna Myles of St. Thomas also enjoy coming here. “Normally I just browse, but I do like the vegetable stands. It’s a great way to start off a Saturday.”
Customer buys fresh, local foods from the vegetable stand. (Erin Hurley/STU Journalism)
Overall, the farmers market is a great way to stock up on seasonal foods and decorations for this fall and coming winter. While doing so, you can have meaningful interactions with the friendly customers and vendors. To top it all off, customers can enjoy live music while browsing. One man often plays guitar and sings on the outskirts of the market, leaving his guitar case ajar for donations. This Saturday he performed the song “Every Rose has its Thorn” by Poison.
Performance of “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” by Poison, live at the market. (Erin Hurley/STU Journalism)
As the market bustles, kids play and people wave and smile at one another. When the vendors pack up for the day, customers wave goodbye and shout “see you next week!” The positive energy and holiday celebrations at the market truly make for a memorable Saturday!
