Winnipeg farmers market planning $1M makeover

The St. Norbert Farmers Market near Winnipeg says it willundergo a $1-million makeover to accommodate a growing number of customers seeking locally-sourced food.

The market has been operating for 24 years, but spokesperson Marilyn Firth says its customer base has exploded recently.

"It used to be that you'd come to the market and the mornings would be busy and the afternoons would be very quiet. But now we find we're just very, very busy the whole day through," Firth told CBC News on Thursday.

"People want to have local food and they want to be able to meet the farmer and say, you know, 'How do you grow your food?'"

Firth said the market will immediately start fundraising to pay for a number of upgrades, including washrooms, better parking and drainage, and an indoor area for some vendors.

One upcoming fundraiser is the fourth annual Farmer's Feast, an outdoor culinary event taking place on the market grounds on Sept. 6.

The St. Norbert Farmers Market is open Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. until Oct. 27. It also operates on Wednesday between noon and 6 p.m. until Sept. 26.