Shopping Drayton Valley - Brazeau and Beyond

“Yeah Drum’s (Drumheller) farmers’ market is not like Drayton’s,” this coming from a former neighbour speaking about one of Alberta’s top tourist communities.

Sometimes when we live in a place for so long, finding gems in your community has to be tackled with as much focus and tenacity as would seeking out faults.

I am not an avid market shopper, but from what I hear Drayton has one heck of a weekly farmers’ market. We have food vendors, food trucks, crafters, and makers. It is open air in the summer and enclosed in the winter and it is full of energy.

I never would have thought the farmers’ market would be a kid’s go to designation but, every time we see the incredible, flaying, flying tube girl the kids are begging me to stop and take a look.

Last week I wrote about entertaining the in-laws for the weekend. Weekends are nice but, if you have a shopper visiting you, I would recommend inviting them out on a Wednesday.

Take a half day on a Wednesday, have lunch, then tackle the three to four blocks that make up the downtown core. Start from 50th Street working west to 47th Avenue (the business centre near the post office.) In this core you will find boutique clothing stores, local maker stores, quilt shops, bedding and household boutiques, flower shops, liquor stores, a shoe store and a wide selection of restaurants.

The farmer’s market starts at 4:00 pm on 50th and 50th and would be a great way to wrap up an afternoon of shopping.

In the weeks leading up to Christmas these stores typically extend their hours and they have all sorts of fun little discount games and activities.

Drayton Valley has a very robust and diverse small business community who take much pride in the items they sell. When you take a visitor out to the local shops there isn’t a question of quality because from what I can tell it’s there.

The other thing I like when I do small town face to face shopping is that it really is an opportunity to learn. When you get talking and asking questions you will find there so much to learn about their products, the creators, and source ingredients. Some only source Canadian made, others sell redesigned creations, just ask and you will learn so much.

One of the best shoppers I know is my Auntie Geor. When you plan a shopping day with her, you plan for the whole day. She is a very slow and methodical shopper. A trait that I did not appreciate in my youth but now have come to see that this is really how shopping with friends and family should be done. If you don’t take your time you miss half of the fun.