The Bay of Islands' booming Farmers' Market - held at Kerikeri's Hobson St carpark every Sunday morning - is expanding to Paihia, starting this evening. Paihia's twilight market will feature many of the same stalls as Kerikeri but will be held from 4.30-8pm on Thursdays at the Village Green. Market manager BarbaraWalker said the green was perfect, with a prominent waterfront location, picnic tables and onsite power, with plenty of space and foot traffic. The Kerikeri market is running at 50 stalls, with 35 already confirmed for the inaugural Paihia market tonight. The usual farmers' market rules would apply - food, flowers and plants only, no on-selling, and all produce had to be from Northland. A Christmas twilight market would be held in Kerikeri on Wednesday, December 23, also from 4.30-8pm, with a New Year's market in Paihia the following Wednesday, December 30. The Paihia market would then return to the Thursday evening slot every week from January 7 until April 1. Mrs Walker said the expanded market was a chance to showcase Northland products to Paihia's thousands of visitors. It would also serve Paihia and Opua residents who did not visit the Kerikeri market because of the cost of petrol. In addition, some stallholders would not have to drive to the Whangarei or Kaitaia markets, with reduced travel costs flowing on to customers. Like Kerikeri, the Paihia market would feature live music, provided tonight by Kerikeri singer/guitarist Justin Smith. Mrs Walker said Paihia had welcomed the new market and Business Paihia was "jumping out of their skins with excitement". Paihia police were allowing wine tastings despite the liquor ban. Some restaurants had said they would source ingredients from the market.
