Gifts to Get: Week 2
We’re back with another instalment of our Gifts to Get at the Winter Markets Guide! With only two more weekends until our vendors take a breather for the holidays, now’s the time to stock up on all your market staples and local holiday gifts and entertaining supplies.
Find these items, and so much more at Riley Park and Hastings Park this weekend!
Treat the flower lover on your gift list to a weekly bouquet from River & Sea Flowers! They grow a wide variety of beautiful blooms, and they’re currently accepting 2019 CSA members for both weekly and bi-weekly bouquet shares. Share purchases not only bring the gift of flowers, they also help a farmer out with start-up funds for next season. Info on River & Sea’s CSA can be found here.
More CSA gift ideas include The Front Yard Flower Co.’s bouquet CSA, Cedar Isle Farm’s Grain CSA, sustainable seafood shares from Blue Comet Seafoods or Skipper Otto’s, the CSA box from Klippers Organics, the Cool Season Harvest Box from Crisp Organics, or the Market Card from Salt & Harrow.
The Lemon Square makes our Gifts to Get Guide EVERY SINGLE YEAR. Why? Because they’re AMAZING. Find them at Riley Park for one date only on Dec 15!
Drunken Chocolatier laces her artisan chocolates with local beer, liqueurs, and spirits – then graffitis them in an array of 80s-inspired colours. The perfect gift for your bestie, right? Get some Dec 16 at Hastings Park and Dec 22 at Riley Park.
For a selection of unusual chocolate flavours, check out Coconama’s bite-sized milk tea, saki kazu, and black sesame chocolates. Available Dec 16 at Hastings Park and Dec 22 at Riley Park.
We triple heart these tiny sterling silver X and O earrings from Ildiko Jewelry, though she makes gorgeous bracelets, rings, and necklaces, too! Find her Dec 15 at Riley Park and Dec 23 at Hastings Park to get something shiny for that special person on your list.
The Hive Printing will have their selection of historic and vintage inspired t-shirts, tea towels, tote bags, and tank tops this weekend (Dec 15 & 16) at Riley Park and Hastings Park.
Got a plant-based foodie that loves to cook on your list? Pick up a copy of The Foodie Books’ latest cookbook The Plant-Based Foodie, available at the Info Tent at Riley Park and Hastings Park Markets. All proceeds from the sale of this book benefit VFM’s Fresh to Families Fund.
The Organic Gift Box from Ostro Organics contains 3 x 100ml bottles of their raw, unrefined, and organic flax, sesame, and pumpkin seed oils – perfect for holiday giving! Find them Dec 15 at Riley Park and Dec 16 at Hastings Park.
Roasters Hot Sauce will be at Riley Park and Hastings Park this weekend (Dec 15 & 16) will some of their “SUPER HOT” limited edition hot sauces, featuring peppers and other veggies sourced from Klippers Organics, Sole Food, and Cropthorne Farm. Get there early before they sell out!
The folks at BCB Honey Farm produce raw, unpasteurized honey with the help of over 1000 hives and 60 million bees! Their selection includes honey infused with herbs like lavender, ginger, and cinnamon, as well as a bright pink, beet-infused honey that works well for salad dressings and other savoury sauces. Find them Dec 15 at Riley Park and Dec 23 at Hastings Park.
Cricket-based protein bars and powder from Bite Snacks make great stocking stuffers for the active, adventurous folks on your list. Load up on them this Saturday (Dec 15) at Riley Park.
What would the holidays be without holiday baking? Sweet Thea Bakery makes a wide range of European specialty items, including stollen, mince tarts, and chocolate-dipped lebkuchen hearts, available Dec 15 & 22 at Riley Park and Dec 23 at Hastings Park.
If Italian taralli is your thing, Livia Sweets makes two kinds – chili or fennel – perfect for dunking in your glass of wine or morning coffee! Get some Dec 16 at Hastings Park and Dec 22 at Riley Park.
Looking for gluten free goodies? Marie’s Guilt Free Bakery will be at Riley Park this Saturday (Dec 15) with their selection of GF and vegan holiday treats.
Wayward Distillation House is back at Riley Park on Dec 15 and Hastings Park on Dec 23 with their seasonally-inspired Krupnik and other honey-based spirits like Depth Charge Espresso & Cocoa Bean Vodka and Drunken Hive Rum. Stop by their booth early for best selection!
For a light, flavourful holiday tipple try the locally crafted meads from Humblebee Meadery. Their new release, Monkberry Moon Delight, features a blend of lingon and elderberries and can be found this Sunday (Dec 16) at Hastings Park.
Forbidden Fruit Wine comes from the certified organic family farm of Ven’Amour in Cawston, BC. Find them with their wide selection of fruit and grape wines and ciders Dec 15 at Riley Park and Dec 16 at Hastings Park.
Many more holiday gift and food ideas can be found at the Winter Markets this month – view a full list of upcoming vendors for Riley Park here and for Hastings Park at this link.
Looking for a particular vendor or seasonal product this holiday season? Find them using our handy Vendor & Product Search Tool!
