A monthly RIVERTON COMMUNITY MARKET has just launched with our first market held last Saturday - which I will conservatively call a raging success! There was a constant stream of people walking off the street and such an awesome vibe throughout the market, in large part due to five fantastic local musicians who busked the whole way through. The stalls were colourful, the stall-holders super friendly and the market food absolutely delicious -go Momo's and Nutty Adventure Bars! The feedback I got on the day, from customers and stall-holders alike, was largely around everyone having enjoyed gathering in our community and catching up with friends. Lots of happy customers too - I for one bought some wonderful items and traded some garlic for the most beautiful jewelry!
One of the big drives behind creating this market is bringing locals together, for fun.. to connect as a community, to meet, and get to regularly interact, with others that live in our locale. I met a number of people who live in Riverton who I have NEVER seen, and I've lived here for 8 years!! Another drive is to encourage creativity and to facilitate the bringing of creative enterprises to the Community Table - for selling or trading. I was blown away by the talented people that we have in our community, including our children and I know there are many more out there.
Some of the stallholders are in a school enterprise group, bringing their ideas literally to market - they got to experience validation of their products and ideas through members of our wonderful community who showed up to support them. Big shout out here to Mali and Zach (of River Tumblers), Caleb and Brodie (of Treet Yourself) and Dip, Dikshika and Anisa (of Our Momo's - A Taste of Nepal) - you did great!
One of the things I loved about this market was how it all came together. Yes, I did put in a lot of time and effort to make it happen but I had really good support from others including; Sam (thanks for being my left-hand woman leading up to this event and on the day), Irirangi (thanks for joining the sign-painting effort - fun!!); Rob (thanks for being such a wonderful, supportive husband, helping get the signs up and lugging things around and putting up with substandard meals and housework in the lead up haha!), Lee-anne (thanks for the old signs - they were perfect!), Edwin (thanks for taking beautiful pictures of the event - see https://adobe.ly/3UZc1c6 ), Sarah & Stan and the rest of the group behind Flecks Hall (thanks for making the hall available to our community and working hard to get it looking soooo much nicer!), the musicians (you rock - you really know how to get the vibe going!!), the stall-holders (you all did a sterling job and should be proud of your beautiful products - you are doing it!), our community (you are awesome and I love the support you showed by just turning up!!). If you missed this market, don't worry you'll get another chance - they will be running on the last Saturday of every month. Watch this space!
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PLEASE NOTE: If you would like a stall at the next market (on the 30th March), please contact me (Tamsin) on 02041409990 to book your space - $15 per standard size trestle table (1.8 x 0.75 m), or $5 for children under 18 - please speak to me if you need a larger space. Also - if you would like a hour or half hourly slot for busking at the next market please let me know which time you would like and I'll sign you up!