Dozens of local vendors will be selling vintage products in downtown Orillia this weekend.
The Downtown Orillia Management Board (DOMB) Vintage Market is set to take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, with a street closure along Mississaga Street East between Peter Street and Front Street.
The event, which features live music and a vintage Volkswagen Bus for photos, is one of the first in a series of new events planned by the DOMB through the year.
“We’re hoping to highlight our downtown specialty stores that are selling a range of vintage products and have unique items in their shops,” said Orillia BIA Marketing and Event Specialist Samantha Yandt. “And then our additional 35-plus vendors will be selling a variety of goods ranging from vintage-style clothing to home decor, accessories, (and) art.
“Our restaurants will have their patios, as well, and there'll be lots of live music throughout the day.”
Yandt said she hopes the Vintage Market will draw an array of new people to the downtown core, and she said there has been “astronomical” excitement from vendors, downtown businesses, and the public leading up to the event.
The event is the brainchild of Grace Schofield, co-owner of Pocket Skate & Vintage, which sells a variety of vintage clothing, as well as skateboards.
“It's really great to see our downtown businesses coming to us with fresh ideas for theme events that complement our downtown stores,” Yandt said.
Schofield approached the DOMB earlier this year after seeing a similar event achieve success in Bracebridge. She hopes the Vintage Market will bring business to a variety of downtown Orillia’s unique businesses.
“There are lots of shops downtown who kind of have that niche but maybe don't even realize it, like Alleycats, for example,” she said. “Even the bookstore, like they might have some old vintage books in there, so I'm hoping that it'll carry over and other stores might see that it's brought a lot of foot traffic and maybe start to participate, as well.”
Schofield noted that vintage is generally considered anything older than 20 years, so a wide array of products could appear at the Vintage Market.
Next month, more new events will be coming downtown, Yandt said.
"We've got the Sweet Summer Dessert Festival coming up, and Celebrate You, which is an inclusive event highlighting the launch of pride season, National Indigenous History Month and then Canadian Multiculturalism Day, and more ... so that's what's coming up for June."
