Festival of Markets highlights Downtown London’s holiday festivities
Global News
Downtown London says the Festival of Markets will run from Friday to Sunday for four weeks in a row leading up to the holidays starting next week. Each weekend will follow a theme.
One of the biggest holiday seasonal events that Downtown London, the BIA for the city’s core, has had “in a long time” will get underway starting next weekend, according to the BIA’s executive director.
Barbara Maly says the Festival of Markets will run from Friday to Sunday for four weeks in a row, with themes for each: IndigenART, Very Vintage Xmas, PopART and Afrik. There will also be a one-day market for last-minute shoppers on Dec. 23.
Downtown London says the free-to-attend festival will feature 12 shipping container vendor booths in addition to art installations and live music. Vendor lists will soon be posted on a Facebook event page, the BIA added. The markets will be held on Dundas Place, between Ridout and Talbot streets.
While the Festival of Markets is the main event, it’s among many holiday events and activities planned for downtown London, Ont.
“We’ve set it up so that people, no matter where you go downtown, there’ll be something to do and see and kind of ring in that holiday season,” Maly told Global News.
“We’ll be seeing holiday carollers wandering through the downtown singing, scavenger hunts, contests. We also have a hot chocolate crawl where there’ll be hot chocolate, tea, coffee stations. And of course, we’re going to have our window display contest.”
Following extensive and lengthy restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Maly is anticipating a particularly busy holiday season for the core.
“I think with all the pent-up demand, people are anxious to get out and get back to normal. And so we are doing this in a COVID-safe way. But no matter where you go downtown, there will be something to do.”