The Moose Jaw Homegrown Farmer’s Market and the Wakamow Valley Farmer’s Market have opened vendor registrations and announced their dates for the season — dedicated enthusiasts will be able to hit the stalls starting May 25. 

“We have about 30 vendors that have sent in their application, and applications are open until the 18th of April, so that gives people more than enough time to decide if they’re going to come and join our team again this year,” said Donna MacQuarrie-Bye, general manager of the Wakamow Valley Authority (WVA). 

The Wakamow Market started in 2021 as a new fundraising initiative for the WVA. It has proven to be a popular way to show visitors what the park offers, in addition to raising valuable monies for the maintenance and improvement of park facilities. 

“We continue to do upgrades and projects for the park,” MacQuarrie-Bye said. “That’s where a lot of that money goes to. It also is a big draw to bring people to the park, and it’s also something for the campers across the street (in the Lorne Calvert Campground) to come and do on a Saturday morning. 

“It’s really a community-based event, as well. I hear a lot of people came from Regina last year, and they’ll do the farmer’s market circle within their own city, plus Moose Jaw. It’s a great outing during the nicer months.” 

The Wakamow Market begins Saturday, May 25, and runs weekly from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Kiwanis Oval. It is open to all vendors. 

Learn more on the Wakamow Market Facebook page. 

By contrast, the Homegrown Farmer’s Market on Langdon Crescent (outside the library) accepts only homemade, homegrown goods. It has a 20-year history in Moose Jaw as a vibrant, open-air venue for locally grown produce, handmade jewelry, baked goods, jams, preserves, and more. 

“We have a great set of vendors that come every year, and everything is homemade, homebaked, homegrown,” said Diane Kramski. “Customer-wise, we have about 200 people coming through each Saturday.”  

Kramski volunteers on the market’s board of directors and runs her own stall, Dewclaw Gardens, at the market each year. 

“We’re busy from eight in the morning, right through till 1 p.m., there’s people coming through that whole time. ... We get all the people who live downtown and are walking downtown, so.” 

The Homegrown Market runs 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Saturday, rain or shine, starting May 25 straight through to September. It’s a popular spot for a bite to eat, shopping for gifts, or buying art, perhaps after a visit to the nearby Moose Jaw Museum & Art Gallery. 

Learn more on the Facebook page, or at mjhomegrownmarket.com.