Aberfoyle Farmers’ Market: The Joy Of Opening Day
Nothing says summer to me more than the Saturday the Aberfoyle Farmers’ Market opens every year. And after two years of everyone living a pandemic life, with everything opening up now and seeing more normality, this coming opening Saturday, May 28 is highly anticipated by many.
The Market has so much in store for us this year, it promises to be the best one yet. If you haven’t been to this gem in Aberfoyle, you will more than pleasantly surprised on your first visit. I’ll bet when you do, you will keep coming back. I know I did.
This city girl moved to Puslinch from Oakville in 2007 and pined for a place I could go to purchase fresh, local produce and products. I was there on their first opening day and have never looked back. The lilting and upbeat music, the grand space (lots of room for strollers), the ample parking were just an exclamation point on the wonderful experience enjoyed.
All the vendors will happily speak to you about their products, and sometimes will have a great story to impart (shout out to Terry Burr of Burrs and the Bees!) This is friendly at it’s best. Running into friends and neighbours is also a bonus as I often choose to sit at a picnic table and have a good chin wag over a delicious coffee and/or sumptuous baked goods and prepared foods to nosh on while I’m there. And weather is never an issue as this is a covered space. Not indoors, not outdoors, rather somewhere in between.
This coming Saturday there is a laundry list of great reasons to visit and these are some of the highlights kindly shared with me by the AFM President and Treasurer, Jayme Mast.
Opening Day Highlights
- 48 farm, food and craft vendors – inside the rink and outside along the perimeter
- Several new vendors across all categories
- Food and beverage options on-site include coffee, breakfast sandwiches, apple fritters
- Dads can scope out new lawn tractors at the Connect Equipment booth and we have our first craft beer vendor joining us on opening day
- No more covid restrictions, but we will still have hand sanitizer available and be wiping down high-touch surfaces like the ATM regularly
- Soccer snack is back this year! (free snacks for the kids wearing their jerseys)
- Live music from two returning buskers, Jim Dyer and Ruth Savin
- Long range forecast showing a high of 20 degrees with a mix of sun and cloud (perfect market weather!)
- Free parking, free admission (as always)
- Visitors can participate in some ongoing contests like the Taste Real Market Trail, where they collect stamps from the farmers’ markets around Guelph and Wellington County to be entered for a chance to win one of eight market packs valued at $100 each
See you at the market!
