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New season for Red Deer’s Public Market opens to large crowds

May 19, 2018 | 2:33 PM

Thousands of Red Deerians kicked-off the summer season by taking in the opening weekend of Red Deer’s Public Market on Saturday.

Also known as the Farmer’s Market, over 210 vendors were on hand at the Memorial Centre parking lot to display their wares and entice market-goers with a wide-variety of collectibles or tantalizing fruits, vegetables, breads and other delights.

This year marks the 48th year for Red Deer’s Public Market, now the oldest open-air market in Alberta after first being established in 1970.

However, after being in front of the former Red Deer Arena for many years, the market moved to its current location in front of the Memorial Centre in 2016 to make way for construction of the new Servus Arena which opened in January of this year. With the parking lot there now being dug-up and redone, the Public Market will remain at the Memorial Centre and Festival Hall site for one last season in 2018.

As a result, Market founder and spokesperson Dennis Moffat says he wants to thank the people of Waskasoo for their patience with the market being there for its third season now.

“I want to give my thanks to the Waskasoo district for welcoming us and being so good to us and making us feel at home,” states Moffat. “I’m going to be very sad when we leave here. Next year we’ll be back at the old arena but the people of Waskasoo have welcomed us with open arms, so that’s the best thing about the market.”  

Moffat reveals he’s happy with the start to the new season as the vendors have once again brought a large selection of items for market-goers to shop from.

“We have asparagus, we have fruit that will keep over the winter and lots of vegetables it seems. We have the usual sausages for breakfast and breakfast nooks and some stuff that I’ve never seen before and different kinds of jewellery that really is intriguing,” Moffat adds.

Moffat says between nine and 17 thousand people take in the Red Deer Public Market each weekend with the August long-weekend being their biggest when about 250 vendors are on site. He says a study they did four years ago estimates the market generates about $5 million of economic spinoff to the local economy each year.

“It keeps these people happy, they work hard for their money,” Moffat exclaims. “They spend a lot of it in Red Deer, so that’s good for everybody and it’s a happy place. I see people here that I’ve seen over the years and it always makes me happy and makes my eyes light up.”

Red Deer’s Public Market runs every Saturday from 8:00 am – 12:30 p.m. starting May long-weekend until Thanksgiving weekend.