The Waterfront Artisan Market returns to HTO Park this Summer!

TORONTO - April 22, 2017 - PRLog -- The Waterfront Artisan Market (WAM) presented by The Waterfront Business Improvement Area (BIA) and operated by Scadding Court Community Centre, returns to HTO Park this summer! Located at 339 Queens Quay West (between Rees Street and Lower Spadina Avenue), WAM will take place every Saturday from May 20 through Thanksgiving weekend, 11 am to 8 pm, rain or shine! Toronto's own Waterfront open-air market features a carefully-curated mix of 75 local, up-and-coming artisans, crafters, chefs and bakers. Visit waterfrontbia.com (http://www.waterfrontbia.com/event/waterfront-artisan-market/) for more information.

"We heard from last year's attendees, and the feedback was loud and clear", states Carol Jolly, Executive Director, The Waterfront BIA. "We're excited to announce that due to popular demand, we've made The Waterfront Artisan Market a weekly event, extended the hours and brought even more vendors to the park. The Waterfront is a vibrant community and makes for a perfect getaway - just a short walk from the Downtown Core."

Visitors to WAM will have the opportunity to shop and dine against the stunning backdrop of Lake Ontario while enjoying live entertainment, including the multi-award winning Waterfront Singing Ambassadors^TM. The Singing Ambassadors will return for their sixth year on Toronto's Waterfront, performing impromptu a cappella renditions of classic and modern summer hits, and offering assistance, directions and recommendations to visitors on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays, from 11am to 6pm, June 22 to September 4.

"WAM celebrates the entrepreneurial spirit of the community, inviting visitors and residents of the City alike to discover new foods and artisanal crafts from up-and-coming local businesses", says Kevin Lee, Executive Director, Scadding Court Community Centre.

Browse and shop for finely-crafted jewellery, unique works of art, delicious foods and artisanal gifts at the Waterfront Artisan Market. Stand out this summer with custom wood watches and sunglasses by G Fox & Co.; shop for upcycled, hand-made, hypoallergenic sterling silver jewellery by Spirit of Vera; create a FREE 3D photo which can be used to design custom bespoke glasses from Specsy; experience professional and high quality henna art services from Nasrin's Henna Design; pick up drinking glasses, platters, planters, candles, lamps, jewellery, vases and art handcrafted from 100% post-consumer materials at Reciclar Factory; and indulge in Spanish extra virgin olive oil, Japanese stone-ground matcha green tea, Peruvian dark chocolate, and raw honey with ginger or turmeric from Menos.

Food lovers will rejoice with the wide selection of cook on-site food vendors. Enjoy shade-grown artisan coffee from ethical sources by Firebat Coffee; savour mouth-watering Mexican street food from Chorizos La Abuela; devour authentic home-style Ecuadorian beef empanadas, paella or pulled pork and chicken skewers accompanied by rice, beans, and salad from La Fiesta Catering; and bite into sweet roasted corn on the cob from the Mighty Cob, among dozens of other delectable choices.

The Waterfront BIA is working to bring the Toronto Waterfront's artistic and cultural significance to the forefront, improving the retail and restaurant environment with a unique, artisanal flair. Find your weekend escape within the City at the Waterfront Artisan Market!

About The Waterfront Business Improvement Area (WBIA):

Established in 2004, The Waterfront Business Improvement Area (WBIA), is the voice of the Waterfront's business community. Toronto's WBIA is a community-driven organization dedicated to promoting and enhancing the economic and cultural vitality of the Waterfront area. The WBIA welcomes over 17 million visitors annually with a service area population of 59,251 and growing rapidly. 68% of the area's residents are under the age of 45, are university educated, have an average household income of $135,901 and walk to work. Unlike most Toronto BIAs, The Waterfront BIA is both a full-service residential area and a tourist destination, ranking second in every major tourist category – domestic and international, pleasure and business, first-time and repeat. Through marketing and promotion, special events, streetscape enhancement, strategic planning and advocacy initiatives, the WBIA continues to secure its position as one of Toronto's premier destinations. Annual programs include the Waterfront Artisan Market, Redpath Waterfront Festival, Waterfront Singing Ambassadors^TM and Ice Breakers, produced by Winter Stations. The Waterfront BIA has been the proud recipient of the Toronto Association of Business Improvement Areas (TABIA) Awards in 2011, 2013, 2014 and 2015, as well as the 2015 Downtown Merit Award from the International Downtown Association (IDA) and the Award of Distinction from the 2016 BIA National Conference Awards.

About Scadding Court Community Centre:

Scadding Court Community Centre (SCCC) is a multi-service agency that offers a spectrum of community building, recreation and economic development initiatives. SCCC was founded in 1978 with a mandate to create a community-controlled centre offering affordable programming and social development opportunities to residents of the downtown west core. Since their inception, SCCC boasts a robust array of innovative programs and is continuously recognized for non-traditional approaches to tackling systemic problems for low-income, racialized and newcomer communities. www.scaddingcourt.org