By Lisa Parent

Future business leaders shine at Medicine Hat Farmers’ Market’s kids day

Jun 19, 2023 | 11:34 AM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – Once a summer, the Medicine Hat Farmers’ Market offers “kids day.” Usually vendors offer special discounts for kids, and a face-painter on-site. However, this year the market is encouraging children to become vendors themselves.

A total of five young vendors set up their booths on Saturday in hopes of selling products and making a bit of money. From baked goods, soap and flower pots, each child brought their passion to life in their booth.

One young vendor named Sarah says, “I picked these items to sell because I think some of the shirts would really sell and they’re kind of adorable, and I also thought the bracelets would sell really fast and they did, usually lots of girls like bracelets. But I also thought these (flower pots) would sell for ladies to put on their apartment balcony.”

Sarah’s flowers, bracelets and t-shirts

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Sarah says her main goals for the weekend were to meet new people, and make some money. However, as organizer Brian Kannekens says, the market offers more benefits to the kids than just revenue.

“It’s an experience for them, they get to create and produce a product that they can try to sell, gives them a chance to work a little bit on the social side of things, interacting with customers, making change on the money side of things,” Kannekens says.

12 year old Eleah Broeckert set up with her grandma Leviena Klassen. Broeckert makes soaps, while her grandma makes children’s books and toys. Klassen says attending the market is more special with her granddaughter at her side.

“It’s been really good actually, yes it has been. ‘Cuz otherwise you’d be looking ‘well how is she doing’. No I think it’s really nice having the booth next to her,” Klassen explains.

Broeckert’s assortment of soaps captivated customers with their unique forms.

Eleah’s assortment of soaps

“Well how they look and everything, they’re really pretty and fun, especially since they have some toys inside for the kids and some for every age,” Broeckert expresses.

Across from Broeckert’s station was another young vendor who found inspiration for his booth with food. Riley Wadden says the biggest hit was his popcorn, but his favourite creation was the cookies he made with his mom.

“I’d recommend the cookies because those are my favourite and I spend a lot of time on those ones,” Broeckert says.

Riley’s homemade cookies

With revenue flooding in, each child had an important decision to make on what to do with it. While most kids may quickly spend it on candy or toys, Sarah has something bigger planned.

“I’m gonna actually put it in my wallet and save it for when I actually wanna buy something really nice for like a decoration in my room when I’m a teenager,” Sarah says.

The Medicine Hat Farmers’ Market hopes to do more kids’ markets in the summer, after the success of Saturday.