PARKSVILLE — An already large downtown summer street market has just gotten bigger.
Summer by the Sea Street Market, running weekly starting Tuesday, June 9, through August 25, primarily on Craig St., is expanding for its 23rd year, confirmed Omar Karim, interim executive director of the Parksville and District Chamber of Commerce.
“A lot of the part-time vendors have now become full-time Vendors. This year we’re exceeding over 180 vendors over the entirety of the Tuesday market.”
Karim said the Coastal Community Credit Union Parking lot off the Alberni Hwy., as well as adjoining Memorial Plaza, have been freed up this year to aid the market’s expansion.
Aerial view of Parksville’s Summer by the Sea Street Market (Image Credit: City of Parksville)
Extra space means new attractions, including space dedicated to the pending FIFA World Cup, Karim said.
“These are some expansion areas where we’ve been able to place some of the new vendors, the youth entrepreneurship vendors, as well as the World Cup fan zone.”
Crowds between 2,000 and the 3,000 range are expected for the weekly Summer by the Sea Market, which features Vancouver Island producers of clothing, home decor, arts/crafts, food and much more.
New this year are four distinct zones, which Karim said categorizes vendors into themed areas, creating more clarity and predictability for shoppers and vendors.
Even with its growth, Karim said they are well aware of evolving the market in a controlled, responsible way for everybody involved.
“We’re thinking about: how do we be meaningful, how do we be intentional in a way that represents the beauty and the vendors of Parksville and district.”
Vehicular traffic is closed off Tuesday evenings during Summer by the Sea Street Market. (Image Credit: City of Parksville)
In addition to shopping, live entertainment and fifteen food carts will be set up weekly.
Karim applauded the assistance from the business community, volunteers and Parksville Downtown Business Association for working together to make the market such a big success.
“Summer by the Sea Street Market is definitely a staple event here in Parksville,” Karim concluded.
The market runs every Tuesday night between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. through Aug. 25 (the last two markets end at 8:30 p.m.)
More information is available here.
Nanaimo’s weekly Commercial Street Night Market returns for its seventh season on Thursday, June 18.
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