Te Puke and Maketu markets back after Covid hiatus

Te Puke Community Market returns on Saturday.

Bargain hunters and market aficionados can celebrate.

Te Puke Community Market will be happening on Saturday, the first time since the March lockdown, while the popular Maketū Market is back on Sunday after a short break due to recent alert level changes.

The last community market in Te Puke was February.

Te Puke Community Market co-ordinator Monique Lints says the 2020-21 season was due to start last month, earlier than usual to make up for the lost time at the end of last season.

At the time of the scheduled September market, the country outside Auckland was at alert level 2.

''Just monitoring, tracing and controlling how people went in would have taken a whole lot more resources than we were equipped with, so at least at level 1 it's pretty straight forward,'' she says.

''We just can't wait to start now and hopefully it will continue uninterrupted for the rest of the season.

''We'll still have a QR code for people to trace where they've been, and everyone's still got at the back of their mind how they operate and how they handle things.

''It's a whole new way we do events and a whole new way of dealing with health and safety, so we've had to change and adapt, but so does the rest of the world.''

Monique says there has been a stream of inquiries from potential stall holders.

''People have been asking us, basically since the last season, when were we starting.''

She says with many businesses having to change the way they operate, the market is a chance for businesses to use the market to promote themselves or sell their produce.

''So I'm looking forward to a bumper season this year.''

Monique says she hopes there will be monthly evening markets in the new year.

''We really want to try those again, because we know they are really successful in other towns.''

Also on the horizon are the World Fest on November 3 and Christmas in the Park in December.

Maketū Market is run by Maketu Rotary Club.

Unlike the Te Puke Community Market, the Maketu Market normally runs through winter.

This year, however, it took an enforced break during lockdown, restarted in July, but was then once again put on hold during August and September due to Covid-19 restrictions.

''We've only had them when we've been at [alert] level 1,'' says co-ordinator Maureen Waterhouse.

''It feels good to be back. I'm actually quite excited. We've had quite a lot of interest shown in this coming market, so it should be a good one.''

As well as the stalls, there will also be a coffee truck - almost an essential at outdoor markets.

The market is part of the club's fundraising efforts.

''It's not our main fundraiser, but it's an important fundraiser and much of the money made from the Maketū Markets goes directly back into the Maketū, Te Puke, Paengaroa and Pongakawa communities.''

Maureen says she hopes there will be around 20 stalls at Sunday's market.

Te Puke Community Market
October 17
Jubilee Park, Commerce Lane. 9am-noon.
Maketū Market
October 18
Maketū Village Reserve.
7am-noon.