We are excited to announce that CoLab Market will take place on Saturday, May 7th, 2022 at 1810 Dundas Street East in Mississauga. This one-day outdoor event will feature local artisans, activities, food, and entertainment for all guests to enjoy. We will also be holding space for local community organizations to engage with event attendees to highlight the wide range of community services offered in the Peel Region.
CoLab Market is being organized in collaboration with Roots Community Services, an organization that aims to empower and inspire clients to focus on their own strengths so they can overcome the challenges they face.
We have been looking forward to hosting CoLab Market for some time. Now, we are feeling optimistic and ready for what’s next. The pandemic has left many of us feeling disengaged and disconnected from our communities. As we move forward, we look towards fostering growth in spaces where we can build community through a collaborative lens. The Dundas Street Corridor is well situated to achieve this goal. With a high concentration of residents, it is also home to a variety of small businesses and community organizations. We want to provide opportunities and possibilities for these groups to come together and embrace the future of the area. With CoLab Market, we will transform an underutilized parking lot into a vibrant interactive event space. We hope to demonstrate the amazing opportunities that can be created when spaces are fostered with the community in mind.
CoLab Market will be an important opportunity for creative entrepreneurs to showcase their talents and skills.
We appreciate that vendors will come to the market with a range of experience and contributions, all of which add value and will enhance the guest experience. While we welcome vendors with previous market experience, we also want to encourage vendors who might be starting out, or even testing a new idea to participate. Creatives need space to bring their products and skills to the public in an environment where they are supported. Markets can be difficult to navigate, and our priority is to ensure that vendors receive all the support they need by providing ongoing training and resources. This will be offered through print and online resources, workshops, and one-on-one information sessions ideally.
Throughout the pandemic, women, BIPOC, and LGBTQ2S+ peoples have been disproportionately affected by job loss, increased childcare responsibilities,
inequitable living and working condition, and limited access to healthcare.
As we re-establish space and place, we must prioritize contribution and participation from those who have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic. In doing so, we will prioritize inclusivity and reduce existing barriers. We encourage and value the contributions and participation of women, LGBTQ2S+, and BIPOC vendors. In order to address immediate economic barriers, we are offering a sliding scale for vendor fees, up to and including waving all fees.
This event will be a celebration of what is next to come. The success of the event will be demonstrated through the collective contributions of its vendors, and we welcome you on this journey.