Vuk Cvetanovic • AUG 15, 2024
Marking a landmark occasion for Ottawa’s Vanier neighborhood, the Afro-Caribbean community market, a collaboration between Association of Black Entrepreneurs and Professionals of Ottawa-Gatineau (ABEPOG) and CHUO, hosted its very first event on the 27th of July, offering a variety of fun products, all paired with the tantalising smells of a free barbecue.
(Parujee ‘’Mickey’’ Akarasewi \ CHUO)
In the refurbished space of the Vanier Hub, offering a spacious environment just a walk away from the city centre, the market greeted visitors with a series of stalls tending a variety of wares, from clothes to skincare products to entrepreneurial advice, with a complimentary barbecue offering burgers and hot-dogs, highlighting the warm summer atmosphere. CHUO’s station, located at the back, offered a variety of Caribbean and African-influenced music, courtesy of DJ Sweet Tunes and Galaxy, who ably offered a repertoire that drew passers-by to the ever-growing market. In addition, ABEPOG operated a stall offering business advice and training all with the goal to “give visibility to young entrepreneurs in the Ottawa-Gatineau area”.
Businesses such as Natty Hair Must Have, an emerging cosmetics company, were a mainstay at the market. (Parujee ‘’Mickey’’ Akarasewi \ CHUO)
Conversing with the sellers, the mood was optimistic, with many expressing their interest in returning in the following months, with representatives of organizations such as Black Mental Health using the market as an opportunity to “introduce them [Afro-Caribbean community] to a space where it is fine to speak about that and to talk about that [mental health]” while others, such as a representative of the activewear company Owsis, complimented the market as a place ‘’with a great ambiance and great music, a place to have a good time’’.
Visitors, too, enjoyed the festive atmosphere, with one describing the event as ‘’so fun, with a lot of great products from the afro-caribbean community, with jewelry, clothing, and a free barbecue! What’s not to like?’’
A sample of the products offered by activewear company Owsis (Vuk Cvetanovic \ CHUO)
The Afro-Caribbean community market will return on Saturday the 24th of August and the 28th of September from 10 am to 5 pm.
The event’s site can be found here: https://www.chatterblock.com/events/398589/afro-caribbean-community-market/