On a sunny Saturday morning on July 6th, 1991, Mayor Ted Jones of Central Saanich cut the ribbon to open the new Peninsula Country Market at the Saanich Fairgrounds in Saanichton village, introducing the community to a cherished tradition that begins its 23rd season in June. The bustling market operated on the Old Fairgrounds in the village for just a few years before moving to its current central location at the new Saanich Fairgrounds on Stelly’s Cross Road. Throughout the 1990s, the Peninsula Country Market was the only community market on the Peninsula, attracting thousands of enthusiastic visitors from throughout region. Some of the original market vendors, musicians and shoppers remain part of this important cultural tradition over 20 years later.
This year the market opens on Saturday, June 7th in Pioneer Park in Brentwood Bay as a proud partner in the annual Brentwood Bay Festival (www.brentwoodbay.info), continuing a market tradition of supporting the community. The festival kicks off with a traditional Central Saanich Lions pancake breakfast at 8 a.m. in Pioneer Park, followed by a spirited community parade winding its way through the heart of Brentwood village. The focus then returns to Pioneer Park for a day of family activities and great music, and of course, a vibrant market with over 60 vendors offering a broad range of local products and services including seasonal farm fresh produce, crafts and clothing, food service and much, much more! The festival is organized by the Brentwood Bay Revitalization Committee, the same group that presents Music in the Park on Wednesday evenings in July and August.
The following Saturday (June 14th) the market returns to its familiar stomping grounds on the Saanich Fairgrounds midway between Brentwood Bay and Saanichton. You can drive (plenty of free parking), cycle, walk or take the bus to the market – or even come on horseback! Enjoy a country morning among friends surrounded by the bustle of a country market, your shopping bag bulging with just-picked veggies and homemade bread, enjoying a coffee and sweet treat with friends while tappin’ your toes to market music. Dogs of all shapes and sizes are also welcome – cool water and doggy treats await! The market runs every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. through to Thanksgiving, rain or shine, except for the weekend of the historic Saanich Fair.
To find out what’s happening at this year’s market, check out the revitalized market website at www.peninsulacountrymarket.ca.
