Historic Goldie Mill along the Speed River had been the long-time, classic venue for the Guelph Potters Market. But no more.
The annual market had grown into the ruins of the old mill, with its four walls and no roof. But Guelph potter and event organizer Barb Murphy said Goldie Mill didn't seem suitable after a sinkhole problem was discovered near the venue.
There was a scramble to find an alternative. An even more open-air venue has been found on the south bank of the Speed River in Royal City Park off Gordon Street.
The popular market had to change its name to Guelph Potters Market from Potters Market due to the venue shift, but the wares are what buyers have come to expect - high calibre functional and fine art pottery. It happens this Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. This is its 12th year.
“We have 56 vendors, with lots of local potters, and potters from all over Ontario,” Murphy said. The market is about the same size, with the same number of vendors as last year.
Murphy said the Guelph Potters Market was three days away from printing its posters and other promotional materials when it learned Goldie Mill could not be used this year.
“We just made the decision we were going to move,” she said, adding that the mill won’t be available next year either.
She added that Goldie Mill is under the purview of the Grand River Conservation Authority, and the agency and city will do remediation work on the heritage site in the future.
“We’ve established kind of a ceiling in the number of vendors,” she said. “It’s just the right size. It works well, with the right number of very high quality artisans. A lot of the people are award winner ceramicists. Most of the work is functional, but there is a lot of art that goes into the craft of it.”
Murphy said there are a number of accomplished potters in Guelph, including Iris Dorton and her Blue Iris Studio Pottery, Goldie Sherman of Vessels Pottery, Bunny Safari Pottery, and Jennifer Miceli of JWare.
The Guelph Potters Market and the Aberfoyle Potters Market in the fall are both run by potters.
Vendors this weekend will have electronic payment methods.
