Initiatives
Wild Heart Initiatives are community-building events and projects that are created by the Collective and then executed either in house or collaboratively with partners.
Wild Heart is proud of these events as they ignite social and economic activity in animating different communities; and promoting social engagement.
124 st. Grand Market
Director and Proprietor Kirsta Franke started the 124 Grand Market in 2012 with some gumption, the support of the 124 Business Association and the faith of 18 vendors on a quaint avenue off 124 Street. Today it is a community hub that celebrates patrons love of their city; local makers, food, music, and art.
The market runs May through October, Thursday evenings from 4:00-8:00 pm.
The 2017 Spring Grand Opening on May 11.
Little BEans Program
Little Beans aims to encourage healthy nutrition and conscientious consumer habits for children ages 4-12. The Little Beans Kids Program was established by The 124 Grand Market in 2015. Inspired by the nationally-recognized POP (Power of Produce) Club at the Oregon City Farmers’ Market and SPROUTS Kids Club at Southwest Edmonton Farmers Market.
Wild Heart received the Ron Kulak award from the Emerald Foundation in 2016 for its efforts with Little Beans.
French Quarter Grand Market
In 2015 the Grand Market expanded to the south side of the river. Partnering with La Cite Francophone, The French Quarter Grand Market (Le Grand Marche due Quartier Francophone) was a weekly Sunday market that operated out of La Cite Francophone; one of Edmonton’s most architecturally interesting and beautiful buildings. The facility provided the perfect backdrop for the charming Sunday market, complementing other amenities of the centre such as Cafe Bicyclette and the L’Uni Theatre.
French Quester Grand Market ran for 3 seasons between 2015-2016. Grand Markets Edmonton is not longer affiliated to the French Quarter Market.
MEDIA
GRAND TASTE TOUR
The Grand Taste Tour is an interactive tour through the “story of food”. Patrons get to hop on a bus for a guided tour of different farms across Alberta to meet Producers and experience first-hand what it takes to feed our province. The day ends with a beautiful farm-to-fork dinner prepared by a special guest chef, using ingredients from the farms we toured that day.
Wild heart brunch club
Starting in 2016, Brunch Club is a cabaret style event where patrons can eat a tasty, locally made brunch while being entertained in an intimate setting. Also animating the event is a local marketplace featuring local hand-made vendors.
Brunch Club will be a recurring fixture for Wild Heart as a great platform for local vendors, artists and performers.
The next Brunch Club is a Mothers Day High Tea
Holiday bazaar
The Holiday Bazaar is an annual market event that runs in the weeks leading up to Christmas. It is a project of the 124 Grand Market to highlight Albertan hand-made vendors and offer an “alternative” to the mall.
The Holiday Bazaar began in 2012 and some partners have included Theatre Network, La Cite Francophone and this year Vignettes at the old ReUse Centre.