Gather Local Market: ‘Staple in our community for years to come’

Saturday was the grand opening of the Gather Local Market in Saskatoon.

The new market is located in River Landing, where the Farmer’s Market used to be.

While the weather may not have been the most cooperative, that didn’t stop vendors or customers from showing up.

Sharon Powell, a vendor at the Gather Local Market said she is really glad to see something back at River Landing, and that it is comparable to what the Farmer’s Market used to be.

“It just has that atmosphere, bubbly, vibrant feel to it,” said Powell. “In the past when the inside was open, there were a lot of tourists who came through, people brought their friends who were traveling through.”

Powell sells handmade artisan soaps, and she’s been doing so for seven years.

“I specialize in making my molds, a lot of them I use live plant materials,” said Powell. “I use a pottery technique where I press the raw material into the clay and then I make a mold.”

Sharon Powell’s handmade artisan soap (Will Mandzuk/650CKOM)

One thing the Gather Local Market has promoted is a tons of unique booths.

Daniel Belhumeur who is better known as Deadly Dan produces hot sauces.

Belhumeur was making ketchup and barbecue sauces for 10 years and then during the pandemic, he added hot sauces to his arsenal.

His spiciest sauce packs quite the punch and has a very fitting name.

“Our hottest sauce is venom,” said Belhumeur. “It’s got three of the hottest peppers in the world, (the) Carolina Reaper, Scorpion peppers, and Ghost peppers.”

Belhumeur described the new market as world-class and something Saskatoon should be proud of.

When it came to the decision on if Belhumeur wanted a booth at Gather Local, he said there was one thing that made him want to do it.

“It’s the people,” said Belhumeur. “I want to be around the people, they’re supportive, they’re loving and accepting.”

Daniel Belhumeur’s hand made hot sauces (Will Mandzuk/650CKOM)

There was also a focus on Saskatchewan made products being sold within the province like Precision Coffee.

Caleb Smith owner of Precision Coffee has been making coffee for three years. He agree Gather Local is very similar to the Farmer’s Market.

“I feel like this brings the atmosphere back to what it used to be,” said Smith.

Caleb Smith’s Saskatchewan made Precision Coffee (Will Mandzuk/650CKOM)

The market features both indoor and outdoor venues, with the indoor market being open year round.