Sales are down but attendance was up last year at Port Coquitlam's Farmers Market, according to numbers recently released by the society that runss the event.
Eileen Dwillies, a market manager in Port Coquitlam, said overall the operators and vendors are happy with the event, and believe there is still potential to grow.
"It usually takes five or six years before people get into the habit of going," she said. "There are a lot of people that still don't know and haven't heard about it. The city told us that there are 20,000 people living in the downtown area so there is a lot of potential."
Last year vendors made $102,450 in sales, down from $116,651 in 2010. Average attendance, however, increased more than 25% to 882 people, up from 602 in 2010.
In 2009, the first year the market was in operations, average attendance was 925, with total sales approaching $70,000.
Dwillies said the numbers show that many people are enjoying the markets, even though they may not necessarily be purchasing anything.
She also added that weather can have a dramatic impact on sales and attendance. With a rainier spring season, Dwillies said 2012 has been off to a slow start.
"There is a core group of people that have leaned about the market that will be coming rain or shine," she said. "But there are other people that have to wait for the sun."
Port Coquitlam Farmers Markets are held every Thursday from 3 to 7 p.m. between May 31 and Sept. 27 at Leigh Square behind city hall. The next market will be held on June 21.
For more information go to www.haneyfarmersmarket.org.
There is also a Coquitlam Farmers Market, which takes place Sundays between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. from May 13, 2012 to Oct. 28, 2012 at the Dogwood Pavilion (624 Poirier St., Coquitlam.
Another Friday market is held at Coquitlam's Spirit Square (3000 Burlington Dr.) on Fridays between 3 and 7 p.m. from June 15 to Sept. 14.
For more information go to www.makebakegrow.com.
POCO MARKET STATS
2011
Total Sales: $102,450
Average Attendance: 882
Avertage # Vendors: 25
2010
Total Sales: $116,651
Average Attendance: 602
Average # Vendors: 25
2009
Total Sales: $69,494
Average Attendance: 925
Average # Vendors: 29
