The fourth annual Merry Market is this Saturday in Barry’s Bay.
Market host Lindsay Libby said they have a record number of vendors signed up to participate and many are local vendors that local residents will know by name.
As a local small business owner, Libby sees the impact of shopping local and shopping small.
“I think it’s so easy to get lost in Black Friday deals on Amazon and at Walmart and bigger stores, and I know there’s stuff that we don’t offer in our community, but I think it really makes a difference to the families who have small, handmade businesses,” she said.
She said local business owners often give back to the community through local raffles and fundraisers around the holiday season.
Libby said there is a $2 donation entrance fee collected by the St. Francis Valley Healthcare Foundation to support local healthcare.
The market runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the arena in Barry’s Bay, and the Clauses are rumored to be making an appearance.
