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'Calling all misfits': New Kamloops night market launching in March

"The whole thing is, 'Let's get all the weirdos together and make magic happen.'"

So says Jess Santos, the founder of the Misfit Night Market, a venture launching in March.

It's going to be hosted at the Brautigan Library (453 Tranquille Rd.), and will veer away from the traditional craft markets you might see around Christmastime, says Santos. Right now, she's collecting applications from vendors.

"We're mostly looking for folks, the weirdos. Calling all misfits," she says. "Any misfit makers that don't necessarily fit, who kinda do something a little different."

"We're just trying to get all the weirdos together under one roof and make a nice atmosphere," she adds.

A maker and artist herself, Santos also has experience with this type of project; she lived in Ontario for a while and helped start something called the Punk Rock Flea Market. Having moved back to Kamloops in 2018, she's keen on capturing that spirit again.

"I have experience as the organizer of this type of event and as an artist, so I can see both sides of the coin," she tells KamloopsMatters.

The market will be more than a few tables in a room; Barnacle Records will be on hand with a curated playlist, while Red Beard will have someone behind the bar making drinks. 

Santos has worked on branding the event and has launched some social media, which got the attention of Mitch Forgie, who's been behind or involved in a few ventures in Kamloops (Red Beard, Bright Eye, Brewloops, Brautigan Library).

"Mitch contacted me and wanted to make it happen and it all came together," she says. "It happened a lot quicker than I expected it to."

Because there are only 13 vendor slots available, Santos is curating the makers, artists, crafters and creators. Entrance for customers is free; vendors, meanwhile, will have to pay $40 for a table.

"With a new market, it can be nerve-wracking to invest in a table and have it not do well," she notes. 

During the event, you won't find Santos behind a table. She'll be running the show, and hopefully, if it goes well, she'll expand it.

"When I was doing the Punk Rock Flea Market, it was a seasonal event," she says. "I would love to see for it to become something like that. If Kamloops really ends up loving it, it could become a regular thing."

Building a community around the market would be the ideal situation, she says, with people planning, budgeting and creating items to sell.

Vendor applications need to be in by Feb. 15. More information on that can be found HERE.

The actual Misfit Night Market will be March 28 from 7 to 11 p.m. For more information, click HERE. Santos has also set up a Misfit Night Market account on Instagram.



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