Locke Street Farmers Market
Hamilton, Ontario
Toronto - September 23, 2021 - Following my visit to the Burlington Centre Lions Farmers Market one Saturday in August, I made my way to Hamilton for the next three stops of my ambitious journey. Conveniently, however, each of these stops were located in the same city - needless to say I got to know Hamilton quite well that day. My first of the three Hamilton markets was the Locke Street Farmers Market.
Unfamiliar with the area at the time, I drove towards Locke Street thinking I would have been able to park in close proximity to the market. However, I arrived to find that the street was actually closed for the summer-long Saturdays UnLocked event - which is a pedestrian-friendly summer initiative that encourages the community to engage with local businesses. On this particular Saturday, the sun was shining and the street was jumping with happy couples, families and friends walking around and exploring all that Locke Street had to offer. I made my way down the street, taking in its gorgeous architecture and array of offerings, when I finally reached the end of the road where the Locke Street Farmers Market sits.
This farmers market was one of the smallest I've seen, however, I could tell that it has gained quite a following over the years. The market was busy, and there were small lines at each vendors’ booth. Vendors included farmers, an Italian restaurant, bakers, and other artisans. I purchased a few items from Backyard Harvest, and urban farmer who farms vegetables in backyards around the Locke Street neighborhood and shares the bounty each week at the market. Not only was his produce gorgeous which enticed me to buy, but it felt amazing contributing to that exact community that I was standing amidst.
The Locke Street Farmers’ Market started in spring of 2010 with the goal of bringing fresh, local food to the Locke Street neighbourhood. For more information, visit their website!