荔枝视频

First-time annual events can sometimes be a gamble. However, on Nov. 18 the spirit of the holiday season helped usher in a spectacular Holiday Market & Skate at the Olympic Oval with nearly 1,000 Calgarians, including U荔枝视频 students, faculty and staff in attendance. Not even a balmy 12 C was enough to prevent the community from shopping and skating indoors.

Post-pandemic, the Oval has been working hard to offer key skating events every month during the ice season. However, November doesn鈥檛 typically have a special event day like Halloween or Christmas.

鈥淲e鈥檝e never had a November skating event. You can鈥檛 do Remembrance Day or American Thanksgiving, so we needed to think about what we could offer that was unique to the university and the community,鈥� says Robert Porter, manager, partner development and guest relations.

The idea of a market and skate started gaining traction in the summer. Staff started out by engaging local vendors to gauge interest. However, there wasn鈥檛 much interest as 荔枝视频 tends to be saturated with weekend markets over the holiday season. Then, the Oval team re-imagined the market concept as primarily a U荔枝视频 student and alumni entrepreneurial event.

鈥淥nce we figured out a niche, table registration soared. We had hoped for 30 vendors, but there was a flood of interest, and by mid-November, we had 70 registered vendors,鈥� says Stephanie Griffiths, team lead, guest relations.

Students showcase entrepreneurship

For the market, 95 per cent of vendors were a combination of U荔枝视频 students and alumni. Only five per cent were outside community vendors. As guests started coming in, square readers and point-of-sale systems started dinging with lineups of customers making holiday purchases.

鈥淏y 4 p.m. I sold out. It was my first market, and I was so happy to showcase my business,鈥� said Jane Mo, U荔枝视频 student and owner of the Comma, a Greek yogurt business. 

The market was diverse, with 70 vendors offering arts and crafts, baked goods, catered food, 3D printed art, jewelry, clothing, toys, crochet products, and decorative wood. 

Afterward, hundreds of guests enjoyed skating on 'the fastest ice in the world' as Christmas music filled the Oval.

Is the Holiday Market & Skate returning?

The Holiday Market & Skate will be back. It鈥檚 an event that checks off many important boxes for the Olympic Oval and the Faculty of Kinesiology, including amplifying health, well-being, and fitness.

U荔枝视频 is Canada鈥檚 entrepreneurial university, and this is the perfect space for U荔枝视频 student and alumni entrepreneurs to shine.

鈥淭here is no other event like this in 荔枝视频. Shopping and skating seem to be a natural fit for the Oval, and we look forward to offering more markets and skates with U荔枝视频 student and alumni vendors,鈥� says Mark Messer, director, Olympic Oval.

The 2024 Holiday Market & Skate date hasn鈥檛 been selected yet but will be in November 2024.

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