This antiquated scribbler found another of the St. Catharines community gems, the
Saturday morning Farmer’s Market. A humongous building at King & James streets, hosts a
hundred vendors, thousand shoppers, and a million visitors! (Hyperbole). Went for the music;
was overwhelmed by the delicious aromas, and overpowered by the camaraderie &
introductions resulting from occasional jostling.
Outside the building at the Northeast corner, a temporary stage provides professional
artists the opportunity to entertain, as well as a locale to devour any of the myriad food truck or
kiosk culinary treats. Today it was guitarist/vocalist JOHN RESTAS backed by percussionist
PAUL DICKENSON, both Burlingtonians. Restas has a rather intimate tenor voice whose
choices seem to favor the 50’s to 70’s and cover the gamut of R&B plus country & western. Like
“Downchild Blues” soloist Donnie Walsh, he too can use the hands-free apparatus for harmonica
backup.
A surprise was a lack of audience-stimulating fast-tempo-ed pieces à la Salsa or a ‘La Bamba’
cum ‘Guantamera’ toe-tapper that are contagious.
Given the duos’ eclectic musical selections, audience singalongs were surprisingly
sparse. More so because of the percentage of grey haired listeners who certainly grew up in the
musicological environment of the last century. Yikes!, can it be true that I and the above are part
of the last century.
The market is not strictly a St. Catharines motif. Also met some (almost) regulars for
Fonthill, Dunnville even some northshore Lake Erie-ites. Promoted by the city’s BIA, the music
aspect serves as a shopper’s respite; a cultural exposé, and a financial and presentational
opportunity for the guest performers still recovering from the Covid cultural enema.
Also visited a booth that sitas on Market Street, and is called The Mushroom Project. Their
raison d’etre is fund raising to support Ethiopia’sattempt to raise this food item for both domestic
& financial benefit. These young ladies deserve a visit and our community’s assistance.
As for my co-residents at The Loyalist; Market Square is about a six minute walker stroll
to an entertaining and fun Saturday morning digression.
Note: As for the animal part of my ‘lede’, they aren’t permitted in the building but I counted about
a dozen or so being paraded along the laneway or on Market street.
Saturday morning Farmer’s Market. A humongous building at King & James streets, hosts a
hundred vendors, thousand shoppers, and a million visitors! (Hyperbole). Went for the music;
was overwhelmed by the delicious aromas, and overpowered by the camaraderie &
introductions resulting from occasional jostling.
Outside the building at the Northeast corner, a temporary stage provides professional
artists the opportunity to entertain, as well as a locale to devour any of the myriad food truck or
kiosk culinary treats. Today it was guitarist/vocalist JOHN RESTAS backed by percussionist
PAUL DICKENSON, both Burlingtonians. Restas has a rather intimate tenor voice whose
choices seem to favor the 50’s to 70’s and cover the gamut of R&B plus country & western. Like
“Downchild Blues” soloist Donnie Walsh, he too can use the hands-free apparatus for harmonica
backup.
A surprise was a lack of audience-stimulating fast-tempo-ed pieces à la Salsa or a ‘La Bamba’
cum ‘Guantamera’ toe-tapper that are contagious.
Given the duos’ eclectic musical selections, audience singalongs were surprisingly
sparse. More so because of the percentage of grey haired listeners who certainly grew up in the
musicological environment of the last century. Yikes!, can it be true that I and the above are part
of the last century.
The market is not strictly a St. Catharines motif. Also met some (almost) regulars for
Fonthill, Dunnville even some northshore Lake Erie-ites. Promoted by the city’s BIA, the music
aspect serves as a shopper’s respite; a cultural exposé, and a financial and presentational
opportunity for the guest performers still recovering from the Covid cultural enema.
Also visited a booth that sitas on Market Street, and is called The Mushroom Project. Their
raison d’etre is fund raising to support Ethiopia’sattempt to raise this food item for both domestic
& financial benefit. These young ladies deserve a visit and our community’s assistance.
As for my co-residents at The Loyalist; Market Square is about a six minute walker stroll
to an entertaining and fun Saturday morning digression.
Note: As for the animal part of my ‘lede’, they aren’t permitted in the building but I counted about
a dozen or so being paraded along the laneway or on Market street.