Camilla Faragalli

Bristol Nov. 18, 2023

Pine Lodge’s annual Christmas market sprawled, maze-like, through the Bristol venue on Saturday. Thirty five mostly-local artisans and food producers lined hallways, filled foyers and occupied dining areas.

Quyon’s Mouflon Farm, which raises Icelandic sheep, was one of the local businesses selling products throughout the day.

“People are very kind, it’s our first time here,” said Hélène Painchaud, a volunteer for the farm, which sells meat, wool, and a variety of soap products made from sheep’s milk.

“We really want to value all of the animal,” she said. “We really use every part of it.”

Vendor Kim McDougall sat at a long table laden with her books for both children and adults, as well as a vast assortment of her handmade wool creations ranging from turtles to Yetis to miniature Christmas stockings.

The self-taught fibre-artist said she discovered that she could make “just about anything” out of wool about 22 years ago, and has been doing so ever since.

“The talent here is just amazing,” McDougall said of the holiday market. “It’s busy, I get to talk to everybody, I get out and get to meet people.”

“I do craft fairs pretty much from October through December, but this one’s my favourite.”

“I think it’s great, to show off what we have out here, to see this many people come out,” said Pine Lodge owner Adam Thompson, who coordinated the event with his wife, Jodi Thompson.

Adam said he and Jodi are seriously considering expanding next year’s Christmas market into a two-part event, given this year’s success.