Vendors and shoppers eager to welcome Craft Culture back to the Kelowna Curling Club after a two year hiatus

A steady stream of shoppers made their way into the Kelowna Curling Club Sunday for day two of Craft Culture. The popular spring market was back for the first time since 2019.

“We were put on pause for two years. Back in 2020, two weeks before our spring markets were set to go everything was cancelled,” said Karalyn Lockhart of Tall Cloud Productions.

“Obviously, we are completely thrilled to be back. Attendance has been great. I think everyone across the board, customers and vendors, are just excited to come out and do some shopping.”

“It’s great! It’s been a good turnout so far. People are super happy to be out and about,” said Maureen Baker, with BobAli Foods of Vancouver.

“It’s been super busy today,” said Kyle Stewart of Soda Creek Soap Co. “Had a lot of people, I guess, standing out waiting for the doors to open today, which is fantastic.”

Lockhart says the industry struggled during the pandemic. “A lot of people were able to switch to online and that kind of kept us going. But, you know, when you’re used to making face-to-face sales and connecting with customers and letting people really touch and feel your products it’s hard to just all of a sudden switch.”

Some decided to launch their crafting businesses during the pandemic, like Manisa of The Okanagan Stitching Company.

“I’m a sewer (seamstress) my whole life so I figured it out. I started making masks and eventually just on and on with different sewing products,” she explained.

The next stop for Craft Culture will be in Penticton, on April 23 and 24, at the Penticton Trade and Convention Centre.

Lockhart says announcements will be coming soon about a couple of summer markets, and the annual Christmas market will be back at Prospera Place in December.