LAC LA BICHE – Those who were in the mood for a day of shopping could find plenty of opportunities to do just that at the 13th annual Lac La Biche Spring Sale.
The event took place on March 29 at the Bold Centre and featured a variety of products and services offered by artisans, home-based businesses and small enterprises, most of whom were from around the Lakeland region.
The Spring Sale is put on each year by the Lac La Biche Agricultural Society.
Some of the vendors who attended the Spring Sale sold home-baked goods. Tamara Bourassa’s delectable homemade cupcakes, mini cakes, cookies and other sweet confections were on display for customers to see and purchase.
Bourassa, who operates a small business called A.M.S Customs and is a familiar face at the Spring Sale, said the annual event is beneficial for the area.
“It’s good to have events in our community that bring people together,” she said.
For Bob Marcyniuk, the annual Spring Sale provides a great opportunity for him to get his products in front of the public.
Each year, the colourful, wooden birdhouses constructed by the St. Paul resident are showcased at the Spring Sale. Marcyniuk, who has a company called Go 4 IT ENTERPRISE, makes these creations inside of his home-based workshop using a variety of tools.
“I use table saws, drills, bandsaws, routers,” he said.
Natural health and beauty products were also on offer at this year’s Spring Sale, and vendors such as Amanda Nichols were showcasing and promoting their goods.
Nichols, who is the owner of Boreal Apothecary, makes soaps, lotions, bath bombs, shower steamers, salves, along with a variety of other products.
“I make everything from scratch, so it’s handcrafted,” she explained.
Nichols, who lives in the Fort Kent area, has been a regular vendor at the Lac La Biche Spring Sale for the past six or seven years. She enjoys the atmosphere of the event and talking with residents of the Lac La Biche community.
“It’s so warm and welcoming and it definitely feels like home,” she said. “People really do enjoy supporting local, especially here in Lac La Biche. . . I find they really pride themselves on that.”
Some of those artisans and entrepreneurs who had booths set up inside of the Bold Centre for the March 29 Spring Sale were at the event for the first time. Lisa Wentworth came from Athabasca to sell diamond art.
“I do a bunch of different things,” Wentworth said.
According to Bev Tkachuk, a member of the Lac La Biche Agricultural Society, there were roughly 75 to 80 vendors at this year’s Spring Sale, which she said is about average.
“Everybody’s got to come out and support local and just check out what our local people have to offer,” said Tkachuk.
The Spring Sale also kicks off the season for the 2025 Lac La Biche Farmers’ Market, which starts up on April 11 at the Lakeland Agricom.
