While most people are looking forward to longer days and warmer weather, Erin Moore already has her sights set on next Christmas.
Moore and her employer, The Lakeside Resort have stepped up to help fill the Christmas market void left after long-time community organizer Laurel Burnham announced she could no longer do it.
That meant the cancellation of two of the already scheduled events, the Wonderful Women’s Show & Spring Market planned for next month and the Nov. 2 and 3 Okanagan Makers Christmas Craft Fair & and Sustainable Living Show.
“I wish to formally announce my retirement as an organizer of community events. It is time to turn my attention to healing and my home, the birth of my first grandchild in August, balanced with navigating a recurrent illness–that is in all likelihood terminal,” wrote Burnham on her Okanagan Makers website. “It has been my great honour and privilege to organize events and markets, to facilitate the enormous diversity of hard work, creativity, resourcefulness, and ingenuity, and to highlight all aspects of makers and doers. It has been a colourful 30 years fostering micro-business in the South Okanagan.”
Okanagan Makers also organized the SS Sicamous Sweet and Sassy Christmas market.
The Lakeside had been holding it’s own Christmas craft fair, Yule Tide at the Lakeside and Moore felt it could be expanded.
“We were concerned about the vendors not being able to sell their products at such a crucial time and having our local folks not having access to this market that’s been going for years and years,” said Moore Sunday. “I know it’s early but we just want to get the message out to these artists and others. We’re not taking over (all the Okanagan Makers markets) by any means, just trying to help.”
Related: Penticton’s Okanagan Makers craft fair is set to return for 22nd year
With the expansion work done in the past year at the Lakeside, she feels they will be able to accommodate between 90 and 100 vendors.
“We will have similar entertainment, pony rides, crafts for the kids and there will be a charitable component as well,” said Moore. “There are so many people who like to shop at these markets too, to get those unique items they can’t get anywhere else.
Related: Don’t miss the SS Sicamous Christmas Market this weekend
“It’s a great kick off to the Christmas shopping season nice event to get everybody in the Christmas spirit and feeling festive.”
The cost for vendors wishing to take part is $75 per day and anyone interested can contact Moore at 250-493-9752 or email: erin@rpbhotels.com
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