Royal City Farmers Market is returning to River Market – just in time for a little belated Halloween fun.
The farmers market is returning for its fall season at River Market on Saturday, Nov. 1. The markets are teaming up on their first Halloweenkend, which features farmers’ market vendors.
River Market tenants and artisans will be dressed up and ready to hand out treats (or tricks) to little ones who are dressed in costume.
“Halloween is such a fun time of the year. We saw a chance to extend the fun so we took it,” Royal City Farmers Market operations manager Melissa Maltais said in a press release. “River Market is a great place for indoor trick or treating. Kids can even wear their costumes without a jacket on.”
Maltais said the event is just one more great reason to take the family out to visit the farmers market. In addition to Halloween-themed activities for the kids, guests will be able to vote on their favourite vendor costume and win prizes for their own costumes.
Royal City Farmers Market has recruited five farms with local vegetable produce to attend its winter season. River Market will be hosting its Artisan Market on days that the market is being offered.
The winter markets run on the first and third Saturdays from Nov. 1 to April 18 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at River Market at the Westminster Quay – beginning with the special Halloweenkend event.
Tasty ideas
If asparagus and cheese phyllo sticks, 10-layer dip or roasted red pepper hummus are tempting your taste buds, you’ll definitely want to check out the Royal City Gogos’ upcoming event.
These goodies will be among the complimentary treats the Gogos will be serving when they launch a cookbook compiled by one of its members.
Dare to Dine and Pair with Wine, by Arlene Lacroix and her husband, Rene, contains gourmet-calibre recipes Arlene has developed from her extensive travels and cooking experiences. Each recipe, in categories from starters to mains to desserts, is paired with a suggested wine.
The Royal City Gogos will help launch the book at their third annual Artisans Crafts for Africa sale, which is taking place on Nov. 7 and 8. Sample of the items from the book will be available for taking on Friday, Nov. 7 from 4 to 8 p.m.
In addition to the cookbook, Royal City Gogos will be selling gift items including fashion accessories, gifts for hostesses and little ones, treats for pets and soft furnishings for the home. All of the items are crafted by local women and in fair trade workshops in Africa.
Artisan Crafts for Africa takes place on Friday, Nov. 7 from 4 to 8 p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 8 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the CAW hall at 326 12th St.
Proceeds from all sales of the book, as well as all other craft items, will go to the Grandmother campaign of the Stephen Lewis Foundation to support projects in sub Saharan Africa in support of African grandmothers who are caring for children orphaned by the AIDS pandemic.
If you can’t make it out to the Artisan Crafts for Africa event, you can drop by Black Bond Books in Royal City centre.
What ever happened to...
Local arts promoter Tony Antonias is famous for being the creative force behind the Woodward’s $1.49 Day jingle, but it was only one of thousands of ads he wrote during his tenure at CKNW.
Antonias, the former creative director at CKNW, sometimes needed young voices for ads he wrote for the radio station. During the 1960s and 1970s, students at St. Peter’s School and St. Anne’s School sometimes provided voices for the ads.
Recently, Antonias was thinking back to an ad he wrote in 1961 or ‘62 for Winston House Orange Drink that was recorded by a boy who was about five years of age. The jingle, recorded in the CKNW studios on Columbia Street, featured the youngster singing a little jingle.
“I have looked in my folder. I couldn’t find anything about the boy,” said Antonias, who was wondering whatever became of the boy. “It’s just curiosity. He was a New Westminster boy. Maybe he’s in the advertising business. He was one of the many kids I used for ads from St. Peter’s and St. Anne’s.”
If you’re that little boy – or you know whatever became of him – give me a shout at [email protected].
Zambian youth in college exchange
Eight young entrepreneurs from Zambia have arrived at Douglas College as part of a new exchange program aimed at increasing their knowledge and experience in business and to prepare them to contribute to their country’s prosperity.
The Zambia Youth Exchange Program was created through a partnership between Douglas College and the Zambian Ministry of Youth and Sport and the National Youth Development Council of Zambia. Between Oct. 20 and Nov. 14, the participants will complete a series of workshop sessions on topics such as leadership, marketing and business strategy and will visit a variety of local companies and organizations.
“Douglas College is honoured to have these young Zambian entrepreneurs come to our college and for us to assist them in building their dreams and living their passions,” said Blaine Jensen, vice-president of educational services at Douglas College.
The exchange program is a new component of Douglas College’s existing Zambia Global Leadership Program, which gives Douglas students the opportunity to travel to the country, in Southern Africa, to complete three-month practicums that support community development.
