Great news Sidney Street Market lovers!
The ever popular Thursday night Sidney Street Market made its return this past May after a prolonged COVID-19 absence, albeit at a new location.
While it was great to see the event return, many people took to social media questioning why the market hadn’t returned to its former location on Beacon Avenue, where thousands would attend.
In a statement at the time, it was stated the weekly market would be held at the Mary Winspear Centre Following a council vote late last year to allow the Sidney Street Market to abide by provincial health restrictions.
Despite the restrictions being lifted and most events returning to normal, organizers maintained the running the market at the new location.
Prior to the pandemic, the Town of Sidney would close the lower portion of Beacon Avenue to vehicle traffic and in its place, dozens of vendors would set up tents to create one of the most festive markets in BC.
Following concerns from the public, the Town of Sidney posted to Facebook addressing the question “Why isn’t Sidney’s Thursday night Street Market on Beacon Avenue this summer.”
In the Facebook post, the town said the event would be returning to Beacon Avenue next year and explained the reason it hadn’t this year.
“Planning and coordination of the market must begin about six months in advance. This year, planning decisions were being made in the midst of the Omicron variant; the event organizer did not have the certainty needed to return to Beacon Avenue,” the post read.
“As a result, a scaled-down market was planned for the Mary Winspear Centre, where the space can be adapted to meet health restrictions if necessary.”
In the meantime, the Sidney Thursday Night Market will be running every Thursday night in the parking lot of Mary Winspear Centre from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. until September 1st.
In addition, there is also a Sidney Farmer’s Market every Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the same location until September 25th.
