Have you made your way down to the walking trails along the Fraser River in SE Vancouver? If you have, you will come across an area called Tugboat Landing at the foot of Victoria Drive at East Kent Avenue South. If you aren’t familiar with this area, it once housed tugboats at this landing on the Fraser River hence the name. It was redeveloped into a community of condos and townhomes that enjoy river front living. The area is located on a public walkway and cycle path just steps away from Gladstone Park and less than a mile West of the new River District development.
The 4th Annual Tugboat Landing Artisan Market will be happening in this still not that well known area at 2010 East Kent Avenue. The artisan market is a small curated market with about 20 vendors per day offering a wide range of items perfect for gift giving this holiday season. Some of what you can expect to find include handmade artisan chocolates by Ladner Artisan Chocolates, custom dog wear from ScouterWear, jewellery by Ebb & Flo Designs, Cord & Stone and Sole Tibi Studio. Il Fioraio Florist will be on hand with fun whimsical floral holiday décor. If you’ve always wanted to learn how to make homemade preserves, Mary Anne Dragan will be on hand with her cookbook and tips. If you want keepsake holiday décor and ornaments, stop by and see Rakia. If it’s eats you have in mind, Stepping Stones Bakery will be on hand with a wide variety of baked goods. Be prepared for a line up though. Also on hand will be Bill’s Jams & Chutney and Toon’s Hot Sauce which is a newly created hot sauce by a local chef. If you are looking for gifts for the wee ones, Guava Jelly will be on hand with hand painted onesies and adorable toques. ILiveInEastVan will be on site with a selection of totes, t-shirts & toques. Lastly, Second Nature Home will be on hand hosting a Pop Up Shop with a wide array of items from their store.
The fireplace will be on, so will the coffee, tea and hot cocoa along with sweets for nibbling while you shop. These items available by donation with all proceeds going to the Vancouver BC SPCA and SAINTS Rescue. Hours are 11:00 am to 4:00 pm. Admission is free. Stop by and support your local makers and artisans.
It’s that time of year again where the opportunities to shop local are abundant. There are some great artisan markets and craft fairs coming up to help you make your gift giving easy whether for Christmas or birthday gifts. We would like to repeat the phrase that often makes the rounds on social media “when you buy from a local maker, someone does a little happy dance”. It really is true. Did you know:
One of the biggest maker markets 
It’s that time of year again where the opportunities to shop local are abundant. There are some great artisan markets and craft fairs coming up to help you make your gift giving easy whether for Christmas or birthday gifts. There is a phrase that makes the rounds on social media “when you buy from a local maker, someone does a little happy dance”. It really is true. Did you know “for every $100 spent with a BC local business, $46 is re-circulated back into our BC economy versus $18 for multi nationals. Why? Because locally owned businesses circulate more dollars in the community compared to multinational organizations
Finished your Christmas shopping? If not, the countdown is on. We recommend skipping the craziness that is the malls. Why not stop into one of these great local businesses that will a) not only appreciate the business, but b) offer some truly great service. We’ve set out a few of our favourite spots we think are great for gift giving. Note, many of the stores have extended hours this week to help you with your Christmas shopping.
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the cat lovers, or those looking for a fun gift for the cat lover. 2 Fork Designs has created this fun whimsical design called Nip In The Butt. This cool catnip cat toy is made with 4 layers of felt and comes in a host of different colours all for $10. To purchase your Nip In The Butt, check out their 
Pack by local East Van business, 
Know a special woman that deserves something unique and pretty? We are sure you do and we bet she might like these freshwater pearls wrapped with pure Argentium sterling silver wire. They give the impression of small rose buds in bloom. They are made by local jewellery designers,
n credit/debit card holders designed by Jeremy Lee of Konisa Studios hold up to 6 cards. As you might imagine, the wood does keep the cards from bending or breaking. This is cool gift that will last and at $30 we think a steal. You can find the Carrall Credit/Debit Wallet in person at 
uite in love with the concrete planters created by Nadia M’Seffar of 
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compelled to include. Check out this East Van Mule Kit by the good folks at Odd Society Spirits which comes with a Moscow Mule Cup, Rootside Provisions Ginger Beer Mix, a bottle of their East Van Vodka and a few fresh limes. To order your East Van Mule Kit, contact 
Tis the season is upon us for artisan markets and craft fairs. Have you checked one out lately? They have evolved over the years. The artisans and makers we see today at these events have created amazing small businesses doing what they love. We love supporting these makers at every turn. One of the many reasons is that “for every $100 spent with a BC local business, $46 is re-circulated back into our BC economy versus $18 for multi nationals. Why? Because locally owned businesses circulate more dollars in the community compared to multinational organizations.” So by supporting local, you are putting money back in our local economy. So we encourage you to check out some of the great line of events listed below and think about supporting local when you doing your shopping this holiday season.
Tis the season is upon us for an array of craft markets and artisan fairs. The collection of local talent is rather awe inspiring when you attend any of these events. If you are looking for a gift for a birthday, anniversary or Christmas, you are likely to find something at any one of these markets. You will find an array of items including art work, pottery, clothing accessories, baked goods, local spirits, gifts for that foodie in your life or beard kits for the man in your life. Of course, it goes without saying these markets are a great way to support local enterprising entrepreneurs. Each market has its own unique feel, whether you are looking for a smaller market such as River District Winter Craft Fair or something on a bigger scale like Make It! At the PNE Fourm or Shiny Muddy Fuzzy. We have set out below a rundown in date order of the upcoming markets in East Van for November and December. We will continue to update this list as we learn of more. We hope you will join us in supporting local this holiday season.
ILiveInEastVan.com 