The first White Rock night market event at Memorial Park last Friday, May 31, received a qualified thumbs-up – and lots of foot traffic – from local residents.
While some complained of overcrowding and were disappointed by a limited number of vendors and products for the initial waterfront market, the general consensus among visitors who talked to Peace Arch News was that it was a good first step for the new venture, a class C city event organized by the Greater Vancouver Food Truck Festival in coordination with City of White Rock staff.
“Anecdotally, there were a lot of good, positive comments,” said city recreation and cultural director John Woolgar, who said that attendance for the 3 to 10 p.m. event was estimated at between 4,000 and 5,000 people.
“That’s an estimate only,” he told PAN. “It’s very hard to judge how many people were there as people were coming and going throughout the market — it’s an art, not a science.”
A total of 18 vendors, including food trucks and artisan booths selling everything from jewelry to soaps and personal care products, were ranged from the promenade in front of the White Rock Museum and Archives, which extended its hours during the market, up to the edge of the grass at Memorial Park.
The area was packed from the earliest hours of the market right up to when vendors closed down operations, indicating that locals were more than ready for such an event. And abundant foot traffic along Marine Drive also kept existing businesses, including restaurants and ice cream parlours, hopping.
But while a DJ played hits from the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s though the evening, an art walk, live music and buskers – touted as planned features of the night market – were notable by their absence.
Only endorsed by White Rock council on March 11, the market will be a once-a-month event in this trial year, due to organizational constraints. The next markets will be held June 28, July 26 and Aug. 30 (from 3 to 10 p.m.) and Sept. 27 (from 3 to 9 p.m.).
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Woolgar said he suspected organizers may add more vendors for the next markets and, depending on response in the trial year, look at adding more dates to the schedule for a second year.
Carolynne and Christian Whelan, of White Rock, told PAN the market was a big hit with their three preschool and elementary-age children.
“It’s lovely,” Carolynne said, adding that the family had found out about the market through social media.
“We’ll definitely come back to it, maybe every other market.”
Drea Bird, one of the owners of the Midnight Joe’s food truck – which was doing a roaring trade in sloppy joes, ice cream floats and other old school diner-style food – said business had been consistently good all the way through the market hours.
“It was much better than we anticipated,” she added.
“It’s great to have a bit of night culture here,” said Jonathan Cornelis of South Surrey. “There was good music and a good vibe.”
Evan Monk, of White Rock, said it was “a great way to get the community together.
“They should be doing more things like this in the city,” he said, adding he would like to have seen live music and buskers as part of the event.
“I think this is a great opportunity for White Rock,” said White Rock’s Shannon Honeywell. “It allows a lot more of the community to participate in an event through the evening hours, because a lot of people work up until 5 p.m.”
Dawn O’Brien of White Rock said, however, that she would like to see some plant-based food options offered by the food trucks, as well as traditional meat-oriented items.
“I think in this day and age they would do very well,” she said.
