Yukon vendors can’t keep up with demand at holiday craft markets

Despite the year’s hardships, Yukon crafters at the holiday craft markets say they are experiencing increasing support from the community.

Jenny George is one of the vendors at the 12 Days of Christmas Fireweed Community Market at the Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre in Whitehorse.

She sells handcrafted soaps through her business, Long Migration Handcrafted Goods.

George said she found herself constantly restocking her booth to keep up with the high demand on Saturday, three days after the market opened.

“It looks like I might be running out of soap sometime soon, which is a good problem to have. But it’s hard to keep things in stock,” she says.

The teacher and passionate soap-maker said she made between 500 and 1,000 soaps for the season market.

“I feel like lots of people are supporting local. It’s really lovely to see people coming out to buy things that were made here in Yukon,” George said.

Many shoppers, like Joe Reynolds, say attending the craft markets is an annual holiday tradition, but this year there’s an unspoken emphasis to support local.

“Definitely making more of an effort this year after seeing how businesses have been hit in town,” said Reynolds.

He was at the market with his wife and daughter on Saturday.

The Fireweed market features over 100 local vendors, including Morris Lamrock, who is participating in the fair for the first time with his new book, The Power of Meow.

“Yukoners care about the local environment,” said Lamrock.

“There’s just such a more pleasant experience to come in here and know that you’re purchasing things from your neighbours. And there’s the handcrafted aspect of it, rather than something that’s put up by a retail giant and is the same anywhere in the world. So, these are unique and uniquely Yukon.”

Market options

Yukoners looking to support local talent this holiday season have plenty of options. There are three craft markets in Whitehorse opened until next week.

Besides the Fireweed Market, there’s the Yúk’e Arts Market, also at the Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre, which features 65 First Nations artists from across the territory.

Sharon Vittrekwa, the art liaison and Yukon First Nation Arts (YFN Arts) store manager, says it’s important to support Indigenous creators.

“We have a lot of young mothers who are depending on selling their art for a living,” she said.

At the market, people can find a variety of traditional pieces, moccasins, hats, jewellery, merchandise, and other types of artwork.

Down the street, at the Old Firehall, there’s the Spruce Bog Christmas Boutique featuring another set of local craft makers.

Supporting local during COVID-19

Judy Matechuk, president of the Yukon Craft Society, said local crafters are still well supported by community members despite the constant in-person market cancellations.

“We have a wonderful community here that does support local so, it’s very appreciated,” she said.

Last year, the society had to cancel their 40-year-old craft show tradition, Spruce Bog, because of the pandemic’s restrictions.

Matechuck explains that this time there is a different set up to adhere to the safety guidelines.

Instead of vendors standing by their booth, they have rotating workings shifts throughout the market’s dates, reducing the amount of people inside the venue and following the indoor gathering limits of 50 per cent of the venue’s capacity. The Fireweed Market is doing the same thing.

Both holiday markets are set up in a boutique-style line up where customers can browse the different vendors’ booths and pay at the central cashier.

“It’s unknown territory for us, for governments, for everyone, and we’re just rolling with it, whatever new mandates come out, we follow them. And that’s all we can do,” said Matechuck.

Kim Fleshman is among this year’s vendors at the Spruce Bog.

She sells handmade flowers and jewellery through her business, Rooksgard Art.

“I’m actually finding that it’s a pretty good year for local crafters, and business has been very steady and seeing new faces. It’s been glorious,” said Fleshman.

She said people need to support the local industry in the Yukon.

“If nobody buys anything then where would the crafters go? Buy from living artists, dead ones don’t need the money,” she said.

Both the Fireweed and Yúk’e Arts Market run until Dec. 22. The Spruce Bog Boutique at the Old Firehall is open until Dec. 23.