For Immediate Release: November 16, 2017
 
Fredericton’s redesigned Carleton Street will host the City’s exciting new Garrison Night Market on Thursday evenings, starting in June.
 
Every Thursday, Carleton Street will be transformed into the Garrison Night Market, an Asian-style night market featuring local and imported handmade products, art and fine craft, locally-grown farm products, local micro-brews, ciders and spirits, musicians, youth entrepreneurs, buskers, and, of course, food.
 
The Garrison Night Market will run from 4:30 to 9pm, adding another great reason for people to come downtown on Thursdays along with the evening concert in Officers’ Square and the Changing of the Guard performances at 4  and 7:00pm. In the first year, the Garrison Night Market will operate for 11 weeks, beginning June 21,  each Thursday until September 6.

A stage near the 104th Regiment of Foot pedway, will add local musical entertainment to the mix.  
 
“We think people are going to love this concept. It’s going to add tremendously to the dynamism downtown next summer. Pedestrian street markets are common in other parts of the world, particularly throughout Asia. They bring everybody out with an exciting and eclectic mix of products that are constantly changing.  It’s a perfect match for Fredericton with its creative culture, its startup mindset and its increasingly diverse population,” said David Seabrook, Manager of Fredericton Tourism.
 “If you’ve got a creative local product to sell, this is going to be the place to give it a test run,” says Seabrook. “First at foremost, we want to showcase local products.”

“The market will bring people downtown, help support local restaurants and businesses with foot traffic, and support local entrepreneurs and food producers. Whether people are coming downtown to see a concert, buy a gift, or pick up produce for a weekend at the cottage, it’s going to serve a lot of needs.”
 
The Garrison Night Market is a Tourism and Cultural Development project of Fredericton Tourism, designed to attract local residents and visitors, and leverage the City’s investment in the new-look Carleton Street.
 “The new Carleton Street is designed to be a festival street, an important element of the new City Centre plan and part of a long-term development vision for the Historic Garrison District. With a unique paver design, electrical infrastructure that will be installed in the spring, and the shared street model with extra width, it’s perfect for a market,” said Seabrook.
 
Fredericton Tourism will have spaces to rent at the market. There will be criteria for entrepreneurs to participate.
 
“We think it’s going to appeal to creative spirits who want to try selling a new product, crafts people, and our multi-cultural community. I’m hoping we’ll see people from all walks of life and backgrounds selling their wares.” 

“We’re interested in supporting Fredericton’s creative culture, to the focus will be on local or handmade imports. It’s not going to be a flea market or a place where you’re going to see items that are mass produced,” he said.
 
Fredericton Tourism consulted with  the existing Saturday markets in the city to ensure the new market will add to the current offerings.
 
“This market won’t be in competition with the other markets. It’s seasonal and outdoors. No one is going to move their business from a year-round market to this summer market. We hope it helps   vendors at other markets become more sustainable; adding an additional source of distribution and revenue to their small business.”
 
Those interested in vending at the 2018 Garrison Night Market can contact the Fredericton Tourism office at 460-2041.
 
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For more information, contact Stacey Russell at Fredericton Tourism, 260-6958.