Wanaka’s local markets have resumed their weekly routine with the artisan market appearing beside Bullock Creek on Thursday afternoons and the food market from midday on Wednesdays in the Wanaka Recreation Centre (WRC) car park.

After being forced to close for eight weeks under COVID-19 restrictions, Wanaka Artisans Market committee chair Barbara East said the market resumed on Thursday (May 21) with a few “hardy” stallholders selling their wares.

“I think they are very brave as there aren’t many people around at present,” Barbara said. “We’re looking forward to more people visiting the markets when the skifields reopen but it will be a lean time for a little while.”

She’s hoping once word spreads that the markets and buyers are back it will attract more stallholders. 

She said the committee was actively trying to get more vendors to join the Thursday market, especially food vendors as they are good at drawing crowds.

The Wednesday market, which resumed this week at the Wanaka Recreation Centre car park has a new look under canvas. PHOTO: Wanaka App

“It’s a bit of a challenge though because we can’t have vehicles there,” she said, referring to the stalled discussions with the Queenstown Lakes District Council to permit the markets to allow vehicles, such as foodtrucks, to be colocated with the stallholders in the Wanaka’s town centre.  

A number of the artisan market members also found online marketing of their products worked well during the COVID-19 lockdown, she said.

The Wednesday food market returned to the WRC car park for the first time this week (May 27). Stallholders appeared to be in good spirits and were pleased with the number of people who returned to shop at the market.

“It was a good start,” one stallholder said. 

The regular Sunday morning arts and crafts market on Pembroke Park had its summer season cut short in March by COVID-19 restrictions as it would normally have continued until Easter. Its new season is expected to resume as usual at Labour weekend, Barbara said.