The Second Saturday Neighbourhood Market is returning to downtown Peterborough, offering a one-stop location for buying both vintage and locally made items.
As its name suggests, the market will be popping up on the second Saturday of the month all summer long, rain or shine, beginning Saturday (June 8) from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and continuing on July 13, August 10, and September 13.
Alternating between a vintage market and an artisan market, the monthly event will be held in the Bankers Common courtyard, behind the Commerce Building at Water Street and Hunter Street.
“There was a really good response to running it for the first time last summer — both from people who attended the market and from vendors who are part of the market,” says Jacquelyn Craft, market organizer and owner of Peterborough’s The Neighbourhood Vintage. “I think people were really excited to have something brought to the downtown core and community.”
A family-friendly and accessible event, the market series was something Craft had been wanting to organize since before even opening her business in 2022, as she recognized a gap in the region.
“We do have a nice little tight-knit vintage community with several vintage shops in Peterborough which is wonderful, but we don’t have vintage-focused markets so I wanted to bring that to the community,” she says. “But to include more of the local art and handmade artist community, I wanted to open it up to make it more inclusive because we do have such a vibrant local art scene here in Peterborough.”
Most of the more than 20 vendors (mostly from Peterborough and surrounding area) who will be in attendance on Saturday are individuals who are passionate about vintage and second-hand, and are doing markets and online stores as side-hustles or semi-professional businesses rather than as full-time jobs — which means there might be items you can’t find anywhere else.
For the vintage markets on June 8 and August 10, shoppers can find anything from vintage clothing to records, prints, housewares, and more, while the artisan and makers markets on July 13 and September 13 include pottery, embroidery, ceramics, crocheted pieces, and more handmade valuables.
Craft says the vintage markets have something for everyone, “whether you’re someone who buys vintage or wears vintage clothing, or if you just want to be out enjoying the market with family and friends, experiencing nostalgia with some of the clothes and the housewares that you’re checking out.”
“There’s certainly some incredibly unique pieces that I think anyone who comes is going to be able to enjoy,” she adds.
New this year, Craft has expanded the food and beverage offerings that will be available at the market. Sam’s Wienery, Revelstoke Café, Black Honey Bakery, and Beau’s Sandwiches will all be on the menu, offering a vast range of lunchtime bites and snacks.
“People will be able to grab a snack, grab a drink, walk around, and enjoy with their families as they’re checking out all the amazing vintage vendors,” Craft says.
While last year’s markets received positive feedback and a good turnout, Craft is hopeful that, with the trend towards second-hand and repurposed clothing and goods, the markets will be even more popular this year and spark even more interest from the community.
“Collecting vintage items is something that has really exploded in popularity,” she says. “There’s certainly been an increase in folks sourcing and reselling vintage clothing and housewares online, and these types of sellers are increasing in popularity. That’s one of the reasons why I wanted to run it — because I knew more and more people would continue to love it.”
Craft also hopes the markets will not only encourage people to connect and shop from the local vendors, but also to engage with the other downtown businesses throughout the Saturday afternoons.
“A lot of other businesses are taking this opportunity to make Second Saturdays more of an event, where maybe they have sidewalk sales or special events,” she says. “We’re really just trying to bring more people to downtown to the market and touring around to all the other amazing shops.”
For more information and updates on the Second Saturday Neighbourhood Market, follow The Neighbourhood Vintage on Instagram and Facebook.
