The market this week: garden q&a, bike tuneups, button making and more!

Volunteers Needed! If you are able to help out with our annual Bike Day on August 28, please email Rebecca at green@deca.to or add your name to this signup. Students welcome!

This Thursday in East Lynn Park:

Blueberries, peaches, and corn are just some of the many local vegetables and fruits at peak deliciousness right now. The East Lynn Market was electric last week and this week promises to be no different. So bring a blanket and stay a while before you pick up your fresh produce to take home!

The lineup…

Zane Elliott, skilled guitarist, vocalist and pianist, is a hidden gem in the local music scene. His acoustic folk, country, and rock music is inspired by Gord Downie, Neil Young, and Corb Lund.

In the Kids’ Tent is the ever-popular Create Studio. Create Art Studio is your community art school offering classes, workshops, camps and more for kids, teens, and adults in a welcoming environment where everyone can be creative. This week they will be making wearable art (aka buttons!)

In the Kidpreneur tent we welcome Claire’s Creative Corner. Claire is an aspiring artist who will draw caricature pictures of popular characters on demand (Disney, Marvel, etc). A portion of her profits will go to a local food bank. Also in the tent is Fidget Factory. Fidget Factory features 3D-printed quality fidget toys, made by Henry and Kayden. You can visit their website at www.fidgetfactory.ca and follow them on Instagram @fidgetfactory23. A portion of their profits will go to Children’s Mental Health Ontario.

Master Gardeners is back in the Community tent, to answer your questions about all things green and things going yellow and brown, while 32 Spokes will give your bike the once-over with a light tuneup. Kennedy House is also on site this week. Opened in 2014, Kennedy House Youth Shelter provides emergency shelter and essential services for youth experiencing homelessness.This includes financial literacy courses, counselling and much more.

Yummy small-batch chutneys, jams and sauces producer, Keystone Preserves, is one of the pop-up vendors while Link Haus once again brings us its unique-favoured sausages.
And you know what goes really well with smoky, paprika sausage? Beer! Fairweather is our feature brewer this week.

As always, DECA is there to stamp your Market Passport, give out cloth produce bags and answer your market or neighbourhood questions. See you at the market!

This Thursday: A very musical market!

The East Lynn Market has been brimming with the bounty of our farmers’ fields! Come and feast your eyes before you feast on the goodness of fresh, local produce. Corn, peaches, blueberries and much more are all in season right now. It’s well worth the trip!

The lineup…

As always, we have music to nurture our souls! Singer-songwriter Pete Eastmure is back for another appearance. The Canadian troubadour will be showcasing his folk and country tunes.

There’s music at the Kids’ Zone as well, with the Lane School of Music. Through engaging and enjoyable music lessons, this award-winning music school motivates young musicians to be confident and curious. LSM will have an “instrument petting zoo” at the market, designed to give kids the opportunity to try out the violin, guitar, ukulele and foam cello in a low stress environment. And in keeping with the musical theme this week, kids are welcome to be creative as they make their own maracas out of recycled materials.

Young entrepreneurs in the Kidpreneur tent are 100% Wellness and Falcon Crochet. 100% Wellness is selling homemade salt scrubs, with some of the proceeds going to Oceana Canada, while part of Falcon Crochet’s plushies profits go to the York Region Children’s Fund.

The East End Children’s Centre will be at the Community Booth to answer your questions about their programs. Founded by a group of local parents in 1986, EECC has two locations in the east end. South Riverdale Community Health, a non-profit, multi-service organization that provides primary healthcare, social and community outreach services to East Toronto, will also be sharing the booth.

Returning popups are Yappi’s with homemade Japanese fare and Bento Boxes, Link Haus with their delicious sausages. Wash it all down with a cold brew from Great Lakes Brewery.

As always, the DECA will be on hand to stamp market passports, give out produce bags and answer your market or neighbourhood questions.

Market this Thursday: your usual dose of great music, food, and fun — and a bike camp giveaway!

Gorgeous berries from the market’s newest vendor, Berrylicious Fruit Farm https://berryliciousfruit.ca/our-story

If you haven’t had your fill of berries yet this summer (and let’s face it, can you ever really get enough of just-picked, fresh berries?) you still have time to head over to the East Lynn Farmers’ Market for some seasonal goodies. Freezing berries is a great way to preserve them at their peak freshness for later use. There’s no better way to get the taste of summer in the midst of winter. And there’s a lot of other local produce at the market right now, including the first tomatoes, fresh onions and garlic! You’re sure to find some great inspirations for your summer meals.

The lineup…

Dwayne Gamree is a rock/folk/pop singer-songwriter and recording artist who recently migrated from Mumbai to Toronto. He says: “I have spent the last 15 years immersed in the music industry, working across advertising, OTT platforms, Bollywood, touring with my band Bombay Buzzar, and performing solo live for corporate and private events. My independent work has been recognized—I was awarded Rising Male Artist at the Indian Independent Music Awards (2022) for my single “Sprinkle That” and won the 94.3 Radio One International Icon (India) in December 2024, followed by the release of an acoustic album,  Based.”

It’s about gardens and bugs in the Kids’ Zone this week with Pegasus Dance Studios. Kids will be able to play with puppets and instruments, and enjoy some song and dance. They’ll also be able to make a caterpillar or bumblebee craft. Pegasus Dance Studios is a warm, welcoming space where children grow through dance, creativity, and connection. Since 1986, Pegasus has nurtured confidence, joy, and self-expression in every child, both in and beyond the studio

Also in the Kids’ Zone is Meaningful Spanish Lessons: Maria is a Spanish teacher based on the Danforth, currently teaching at the Teaching Space. She runs Spanish workshops for kids and is excited about the opportunity to contribute to the market’s activities.

In the Kidpreneur tent, Alicia’s Figurines features handmade clay figurines. A portion of the profits will go to Sick Kids for cancer research. This is Alicia’s third summer in the Kidpreneur program. She says: “I really appreciate that this program exists, because it helps kids share their creations, and teaches us how to run a business.” Colourful Keychains will also be in the Kidpreneur tent. Proceeds from Colourful Keychains will go to support Earth Rangers.

Popup vendors this week are The Spice Drawer, with artisanal, handcrafted spice blends, and Charby’s Craft Sauces with their small-batch, award-winning hot sauces and pepper jellies. Muddy York provides the beer.

Club Sandwich is in the Community Booth. Club Sandwich makes sandwiches for 9 east end missions that serve the food insecure population. As always, DECA will be in the tent to stamp Market Passports, provide cloth produce bags and answer any market or neighbourhood questions.

Finally, in anticipation of our annual Bike Day on August 28, Pedalheads is giving away a gift certificate for a one-week half-day camp ($410 value, expires Aug 28/25). Email green@deca.to to enter the draw!

This Thursday’s Market: Community Fridges, plant pots, Kidpreneurs, Silly Goose and so much more

Hot enough for ya? The weather has been steamy but don’t let that stop you from getting to the East Lynn Farmers’ Market for some fresh, seasonal produce, a cold beer and some great live music.

Bring back your pots!

If you received any native plants last week from Project Swallowtail, we are collecting the pots this week to return them. Last week was truly inspiring to see how many people are planting pollinators. In the words of the organizers, “It is something that may seem to have a small impact but does bring a positive and very tangible benefit to our community.” About 300 plants were shared with community members, and all those plants were produced from the seeds of one garden!

 

The lineup…

Mortimer Bakeshop and Keystone Preserves are the popup vendors this week so you can load up on cake, cookies, macaroons, s’mores, chutneys and jams, while Hamilton-based Fairweather Brewery makes a return visit with their silky stouts and bright IPAs.

 

On the hill, we have musician Alex Southey. He is a Toronto-based singer/songwriter, podcaster, writer who performs regularly around the city. He describes his music as emotionally forward folk rock music reminiscent of Wilco, Adrienne Lenker, Jeff Buckley, and Aimee Mann.

 

Kidpreneurs at work this week are Claire’s Creative Corner and Cocoa & Co. Claire is an aspiring artist who will draw caricatures of popular personalities – from the likes of Disney and Marvel – on demand, while Cocoa & Co. will help you fill that craving for homemade chocolate!

South Riverdale Community Health is at the Community Booth. South Riverdale Community Health Centre is a non-profit, multi-service organization that provides primary healthcare, social and community outreach services with an emphasis on health promotion and disease prevention primarily to people of East Toronto.

 

Food donations needed!

Volunteers from Community Fridges will also be at the Community Booth to take your donations. Community Fridges TO is a Toronto-based mutual aid initiative created to nourish our communities and our neighbours. They would love to share your market purchases in their fridges and will happily take donations of other food and personal care items.

Welcome back, Silly Goose Kids!

In the Kids’ Zone this week, young marketgoers will get a chance to try out a few different toys: a soft archery game, a bubble toy, and a board game, thanks to Silly Goose Kids. We’re so happy to have them back!

See you at the market!

Market this Thursday: Song, dance and swallowtails

As summer is heating up, so is the East Lynn Farmers’ Market! Shopping for fresh fruits and vegetables may be your main reason for stopping in this week, but local Ontario produce, straight from the farm, isn’t the only star at the market.

 

The Lineup…

 

Veteran singer-songwriterr Pete Eastmure is the musical guest this week. Eastmure has been described as  “a genuine vintage Americana voice.” Influenced by the likes of Gordon Lightfoot and Hank Williams, his latest songs take the listener on a journey into Canada. 

 

TheSPACE, the School of Performing Arts for the Community of East York, is showcasing some of its talent with a performance  between 4-6pm. TheSPACE is a full performing arts centre with a focus on building self esteem through the performance arts. 

 

Project Swallowtail will be at the Community Booth this week. Project Swallowtail is a collaborative effort to connect communities street by street and empower residents to restore nature in Toronto. Its aim is to increase the urban habitat by helping gardeners plant native plants in private and community gardens, sidewalk medians and balconies. Find out how you can participate. 

 

This week, we welcome back 32 Spokes to the market. The volunteer-led group will be on hand to talk bikes, do minor repairs and safety checks. 

 

Also back this week is Lex’s Pantry with delicious spice blends, One Last Thing with a selection of fine meats and lots of Ontario and Quebec cheese, and Great Lakes Brewery, craft beer on tap since 1987.

 

Finally, be sure to stop by the DECA tent for some clever ideas on how to use kitchen scraps in your cooking and in your garden! Don’t throw out those onion tops or that wilted lettuce. We’ll show you how to make a start to a zero-waste kitchen. And we’ll throw in a cloth produce bag to boot!