Sooke Winter Market

Sooke Night Market 2025

Interested in becoming a vendor or providing entertainment?

2025 dates and vendor applications will be released in March 2025.

Please contact the market organizer. programs@sookeregionmuseum.ca

Hatch + Hype
at the Sooke Night Market

What: We offer a dedicated tent space and marketing materials to showcase and support new food vendors or existing food vendors with new products as springboards for other opportunities.

Who: Farmers and Food Producers who want to try new products

Benefits: a low-cost, low-barrier opportunity to engage directly with customers at our farmers’ market in a vibrant, dedicated space for new vendors to realize their new food business ideas. Vendors receive a subsidized tent space (including the tent and table).

How: Fill out the Sooke Night Market vendor application and check “Yes” on the questions regarding Hatch + Hype. The market organizer will contact you regarding dates.

Embrace the opportunities that Hatch + Hype has to offer and let’s cultivate success together.

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Winter Market 2025

date, time to be confirmed
free admission

Local farmers, producers, artists and artisans will be on the museum grounds showing and selling what they’ve been making, baking, and growing!

A huge thank you to 2024 market sponsors:

Sooke Night Market Policies & Procedures

ABOUT SOOKE NIGHT MARKET

The Sooke Night Market is supported by the Sooke Region Historical Society and was developed to highlight the rich heritage of food producers, artists, artisans, and entrepreneurs in the area. It’s a place for residents and visitors to learn about and enjoy the talent and abundance of our region.

The Sooke Night Market is outdoors and runs weekly on Thursdays from June 6 to September 5, 5:00pm – 8:00pm for a total of 14 nights. The market is on the Sooke Region Museum Grounds at 2070 Phillips Rd in Sooke, BC.

MAKE, BAKE, OR GROW

The Sooke Night Market aims to be as inclusive as possible while at the same time avoid being an outlet for mass produced and mass marketed items. Products sold at the Sooke Night Market must be made, baked, raised, caught, and wild harvested or 100% grown by the Approved Vendor.

Each product for sale needs to meet all the applicable laws, regulations, and rules as specified by federal, provincial, and local government agencies, local health authorities, the Sooke Region Museum, and any organic certifying body the vendor belongs to. It is up to the vendor to know and comply with these regulations as well as the provincial and federal sales tax requirements.

VENDOR APPLICATION AND APPROVAL

All vendors must complete a full vendor application to be considered for the Market. Submission of an application does not guarantee a space in the Market.

Application for an Approved Vendor status will be reviewed by the Market organizers. Not all applications will be approved. Consideration will be given to factors such as use of local materials\ingredients, mix of vendors at the market, and history of vendor relationship with the market and other vendors.

The vendor shall receive space for their stall in exchange for the set fee. Site location will be the decision of the market manager and will consider site mix. Most stalls are 10’x10′. There are also a few odd shaped sites available, not suitable for a 10’x10′ tent. Vendors are responsible for providing their own tables and tents.

FEES

Full Season Fee: $350.00 (includes GST) Full Season Vendor commits and pays for a full season, 14 markets, in advance of the market. (This equals $25/market). Payment in full due upon acceptance to the market and before Friday, April 12th, 2024.

Day Vendor Fee: $35 (includes GST) This is for those who do not commit to vending the full season. Day vendors should be aware that their stall space may be in a different location each time. Nor is there a guarantee that a space will be available on a particular date, unless confirmed in advance with the market organizers. Market payment is due 2 days before approved vending date.

Payment can be made over the phone (250-642-6351) with a credit card or can be made at the Sooke Region Museum by cheque (made out to the Sooke Region Museum), credit card, debit or cash. At this time, we can not take e-transfer.

CONFIRMATION AND CANCELLATION

Every vendor must give 2 days notice for market cancellation.

The more notice the better. Prior notice to your absence allows for another vendor to be booked for your stall. Having all stall spaces filled provides an appealing shopping experience for customers and helps all vendors prosper.

To cancel, email the market manager at programs@sookeregionmuseum.com Any vendor who cancels less than 48-hours before the start of that market or does not show up to that market, will be expected to pay the cancellation fee before the next market they are attending.

The first fine would be $20, the second would be $40, and the third time means that vendor would no longer be welcome to vend at the market for the remainder of the season.

Extenuating circumstances will be considered.

Contact the Sooke Region Museum at 250- 642-6851 in the case of an unexpected delay on market day.

VENDOR PRESENTATION

The Sooke Night Market happens rain or shine so please come prepared!

Vendors are responsible for keeping their space clean and tidy; this includes picking up and removing all litter at the end of market day.

All Vendors are responsible for their own tables, chairs, canopies, weights. Tents, awning, and umbrellas must have sufficient weight on the corners or base to keep the cover in place during windy conditions. Please bring all tie down material with you. Do not take rocks or stones from museum grounds (i.e., not from rock walls or stone oven).

Confine product display to the dimensions of the designated stall. This includes storage boxes etc. Please ensure that items are not placed in garden beds or the rock beds.

Vendors are expected to create an aesthetically pleasing environment which allows them to vend in all weather.

Prominently display the business/farm name on a sign that can be read clearly from at least 20’ away. Display proof of certification for organic, transitional and/or food safety handling as applicable.

Ensure that product pricing is displayed in a clear and obvious way.

Sell only products that have been approved by the market manager and are of a quality that contributes to the positive reputation of both your business and that of the market. Provide samples for assessment as requested by the Night Market Manager.

All food products and packaging must meet CRD and Provincial health regulations. It is the responsibility of individual vendors to understand and abide by the regulations. Applications from vendors of high-risk foods must be accompanied with copies of approval from VIHA (Vancouver Island Health Authority). All food vendors whether high risk or not must submit a copy of their Food Safe certificate and a complete product list with their market vendor application.

Attach ingredient labels to all prepared foods sold for home use and\or display ingredient list for items sold that are for consumption at the market site.

Food Venders shall use take away food containers and cutlery that are recyclable and biodegradable.

Vendors will be responsible for any special requirements such as a hand washing station, fire extinguisher, etc. that are required by the relevant authorities.

VENDOR SET UP/ TAKE DOWN & PARKING

Vendors must arrive between 3:00-4:30pm (and not later than 4:30pm).

Upon arrival, vendors may unload supplies and then immediately move their vehicle to designated parking areas. Do not begin set up until your vehicle is parked off site. Vehicles are to be completely out of the market area 30 minutes prior to the market start.

Vendors must move and/or park vehicles off site, to the parking lot at SEAPARC or across Philips Road in the gravel carpark along Sooke Road. No parallel parking along Phillips Rd or in the small museum parking lot as this parking is for customers.

Finish awning set-up and product displays by the official start time of the market.

Commence selling to visitors at the 5 pm market start time (selling to other vendors and museum staff prior to the start of the market is acceptable).

All vendors must stay until the end of the market and refrain from taking down displays and tent prior to the 8 pm closing time. This applies even if you are sold out or having a slow day.

Finalize sales activities by 10 minutes after closing. Remove all garbage and other visible signs of your stall by one hour after closing of the market. All vendors must leave the premise by 9pm.

Refrain from bringing cars back into the market area until after all customers have left the grounds AND you have your stall packed up ready for loading back into the car.

Cooperation amongst Vendors during vehicle pick up and packing is necessary. Please be kind and courteous. Please do not idle vehicles at any time.

Please Note: The only exception for vehicles on the Market grounds will be for those with food trucks.

GENERAL VENDOR OBLIGATIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Be respectful to other vendors, market staff and the public.

Refrain from smoking or vaping at the market.

Vendors are strongly discouraged from bringing pets to the market.

No Vendor will be permitted to play radios or instruments (unless approved by the Market Manager because of the relatable nature of your business)

Write and submit complaints to the Market Manager rather than airing them publicly at the market.

The Sooke Region Museum will have liability insurance to cover the hours of operation of the market for general site liabilities but will not accept responsibilities for the negligence of individual Vendors or their products. Every Vendor is asked to ensure that their homeowner, business, or other insurance covers them for participating in the market.

Vendors providing personal services that involve physical manipulation of the human body will provide proof of training and certification and are required to have their own insurance to cover this activity.

The Sooke Region Museum may prohibit any person from renting stall space, request removal of a product that falls outside the policies of the market and may require persons to leave the market if they fail to abide by the policies of the market or direction of the Market Manager.

Acknowledge that policies are subject to review and change by the Sooke Night Market Management and that they may from time to time alter and adapt these rules to provide for efficient operation of the market.

Once a vendor has been accepted to the market, they will be emailed a document to sign acknowledging their understanding of these guidelines and the following Liability Statement:

LIABILITY STATEMENT

The Sooke Region Historical Society and its members/agents will not be responsible for loss or damage or injury to exhibits, merchandise, other properties, or personnel, which are on the site of the weekly market. The Vendor shall accept full responsibility for any and all damages caused by the Vendor or their representatives and agrees to indemnity and save harmless the Sooke Region Historical Society and/or its members/agents/employees against any and all claims for any such loss, damage or injury no matter how caused.

Protection of Vendor Property

The Sooke Region Historical Society and its members/agents will not be responsible for the safety of exhibits, merchandise, other properties, or personnel against robbery, damage by fire, accident, or other causes. In all cases, Vendors are responsible for their own insurance coverage.

Protection of Property and Display Fixtures

Vendors will be held responsible for all damage done or caused to the market site and market display fixtures by them, their agents and/or employees.

Insurance

The vendor shall not do, nor permit anything to be done in or about the assigned vendor space or bring into, or keep upon the same space, anything which in any way that effects a fire risk or increases the rate of the Sooke Region Historical Society’s insurance policy. Should the rate of the Society’s insurance be impacted by reason of any violation of this Agreement by the vendor, the vendor will be liable to pay the amount of any such increase. The Sooke Region Historical Society will not assume any responsibility for the safety of the vendor against robbery, fire damages, and accidents or for any cause whatever. In all cases, vendors must insure their own property, material and merchandise which is brought to the Sooke Night Market.

EQUITY, DIVERSITY, INCLUSION & RECONCILIATION

The Sooke Night Market (as a program of the Sooke Region Museum) is committed to actively working against racism, classism, sexism, homophobia, religious prejudice, and other forms of oppression in our policies, guidelines, organizational structure and within our community of staff, vendors, and customers.

Our commitment includes:

• Asking vendors who are wild harvesting their products about their relationships with or permission from the Indigenous peoples whose territories they gather within

• Vendors may be asked about their relationship to particular cultural food, art, or craft products to ensure we are working against cultural appropriation

• Harassment of any kind will not be tolerated. We will work to support vendors, staff, and customers in creating and maintaining a healthy and welcoming environment that is free from harassment where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity.

Vendors will be asked to sign that they have read and understand the above statement regarding Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Reconciliation and agree to uphold the commitments of the Sooke Night Market to create and maintain a healthy and welcoming environment for all regardless of an individuals age, ancestry, colour, race, citizenship, ethnic origin, place of origin, creed, disability, family status, marital status, single status, genetic characteristics, gender identify, gender expression, record of offences, and sexual orientation.

Sooke Night Market 2025

Hatch + Hype
at the Sooke Night Market

Winter Market 2025

A huge thank you to 2024 market sponsors:

Sooke Night Market Policies & Procedures

Contact Us

Our Location

HOURS

Sign Up For Our Newsletter!

Sooke Winter Market

Sooke Night Market 2025

Hatch + Hype at the Sooke Night Market

Winter Market 2025

A huge thank you to 2024 market sponsors:

Sooke Night Market Policies & Procedures

Contact Us

Our Location

HOURS

Sign Up For Our Newsletter!

Hatch + Hype
at the Sooke Night Market