Local market gets a new home

WARRALILY’s Winter Market is set to debut this weekend at its new home along Central Boulevard.

The Saturday, June 19 event will mark the opening of the revamped winter market located at The Village, with stalls to be set up throughout the centre and in the car park adjacent to Cockatoo Café.

The winter market has been a treasured community event for the past six years while supporting local artisans, makers and producers from the region.

Under the upgraded market, Warralily will continue as the primary sponsor while Centre management will work with renowned Piccadilly Market founder Janina Lear to deliver the community event.

Village marketing representative Michelle Caldrow said as Warralily developers plan their exit strategy, the shift in ownership of the market was about the centre aligning itself with the community.

“We wanted something that was unique that we could own in the local trades area,” she said.

“We have got the experts of Piccadilly because when we looked at becoming the custodians of the market, we wanted to do justice with what Warralily had done in the past and work with someone to bring a local voice and bring something authentic to the conversation.”

Saturday’s reopening is anticipated to attract families from across the region to take part in the family-focused COVIDSafe day with live entertainment from Dazzling Dan the Magic Man and local musician Dara Hession.

While regular market attendees can expect many of their favourite stall holders, there will also be plenty of fresh faces.

“The first market will be a chance to get an understanding of customers and traders feedback and to see what works within Piccadilly’s offering and fine tune that as we move forward,” she said.

“We have been mindful that we want stallholders that bring something unique to the market while not competing with existing retailers.

“We want them to work together in the space.”

The “ideal location” will allow families to enjoy the market along with special offers from the centre’s retailers and food outlets.

“We are really excited to be able to bring this to the community and continue to build on it for the quarterly markets that we are looking to hold from here on in.”

The market is set to take place from 9am to 2pm at The Village Warraliliy shopping centre on 3/33 Central Boulevard, Armstrong Creek.