Seeking volunteers for Saturday January 4th!

Will you have a couple of hours to spare when you come to our January 4th market (or any of our upcoming markets)? We become more short-staffed than usual during the holiday season due to volunteers being away from Toronto, family obligations etc., and we want to make sure that the market continues once a month no matter what.

Please write to us if you're available January 4th, any time between 9 to 5. The market itself takes place at 10-4, but volunteers start working at 9 am and finish around 5 pm, for one-, two-, three-, or four-hour shifts.

Try it, we're a fun bunch of people! And don't forget, volunteers can bring stuff to the market and take stuff from the market just like any other market visitor.

It might have been wet outside, but inside, the only thing raining was free stuff!

Here are some scenes from the November 2nd market. Were you there? Send us your Really Really Free Market story!


Photos courtesy S. Poyraz
Want to be alerted a week before each market? Send a request to be put on our mailing list.

We want your happy find stories!

Visitors to the market, especially on their first visit, often walk away with a story to tell. Do you have one? If so, please e-mail it to us.
Did you find something you really wanted, but just couldn't bring yourself to spend money on?--or something you were about to buy had you not come to the market? Did you walk away with nice presents for your friends or family, or with a book you've always wanted to read, or the perfect batch of wool to knit a scarf with? Did you witness someone's eyes light up when she saw the wine carafe or hoola-hoop or Pink Floyd LP you brought to the market? Did you run into someone you had lost contact with? Here are letters from Shawna, D.L., Lori/Rosi, and Rob.

Please send us your Really Really Free Market story.
Want to be alerted a week before each market? Send a request to be put on our mailing list.

Photos courtesy S. Poyraz

CHANGE OF HOURS!!!!

Our next Really Really Free Market is this Saturday, Oct. 5th.

It begins at 10 am and it ends at 5 pm. (Not 6 pm.)

 

Please bring items no later than 4 pm.,  so others can see them.

Take whatever you wish until 5 pm.

 

Keep posted for change of hours in upcoming markets. If you wish to be informed a week before the market write to us so that we can include you on our mailing list.

Read an article by The Grid about our Market!

http://www.thegridto.com/city/local-news/freegans-unite/

We are a RAIN-OR-SHINE market!

Since there was a forecast of rain last Saturday, we set up the market inside Campbell Park's Clubhouse, as we did during the past winter months. We left out rain-resistant items such as kitchenware and plastic toys on display outside.

The turnout was good, although it seems like some people who had not read our ad assumed we would have cancelled. Definitely not! We plan and hope to continue to be at Campbell Park regardless of weather; mostly indoors until it warms up again.
Photos courtesy of Sidney Anson Leyva and Suzan Poyraz

Scenes from the August market

The day was so beautiful, some people stayed over the entire market, chatting with people they just met, helping out, having their lunch, or chilling with the musicians. Some of them stayed on to enjoy Campbell Park's nutritious and finger-licking-good Saturday Supper. (The weekly supper is a pay-what-you-can event and is not related to the Really Really Free Market.)
Photographs courtesy of Sandeep Chopade and Suzan Poyraz

Our 1-year Anniversary Market

It rained Thursday. It rained Friday. The rain gods spared us Saturday before coming back with a vengeance Sunday.

So not only did it not rain, but courtesy of partial clouding and beautiful ancient trees, we were in the shade most of the day.  See for yourself:


Photographs courtesy Sandeep Chopade and S. Poyraz

But that's just our side of the story. If you came to the market, please e-mail us your market story--an anecdote, a find, a new frined, or one of those "I was just about to buy one of these!" happenings. We'd love to hear from you.

Rob writes about his first visit to the market on June 1st:

I went there on Saturday - .... First, I was pleasantly surprised at the friendly atmosphere there - everyone was smiling and happy and helpful - and it IS a place where you can go and just take what you need - I expected that you'd have to find someone to ask if you could have something - didn't happen - it was great - I got a slow cooker that had a note attached to it about the handle on the lid - someone was very thoughtful - but hey, it works, I can still get the lid off. Here's the disappointment .... and I make no bones about it. Toronto has a population of several million - WE have a membership of over 25,000 - so where the hell was everyone? Every day I see posts offering this, that, something else. I see posts asking for that, this and all the rest. I am one of them - I post offers, I post wanteds, I respond to offers and wanteds.... Just yesterday was a post 'Last chance before the magazines go to recycling....' How many times have we seen people offer and then re-offer items because nobody responded? How many times have we seen people ask and then re-ask because nobody responded.... HERE'S the chance, once a month, to pack the car up with everything that you don't want, bring it to a central place, put it out on tables... you don't even have to sit there all day - after all, you're not selling the damned stuff, it's free for whoever wants it - sort it out into the various areas for electronics, ladies clothing, kitchen stuff, yada yada yada, and hey, if you don't want to stay and meet and greet some fantastic people, go home.... or stick around and see what everyone else is bringing and take home a few items that you could use..... Personally, I think this FreeMarket idea is fantastic - I can see it turning into a neat monthly event during the summer - hell, if we all get involved as participants, let's get some folks to bring portable bbq's and some burgers, bring the family, have a picnic while you 'shop' and go home and not spend a cent. Whatever gets left over goes to charities at the end of the day - it doesn't go to Goodwill or Sally Ann or that other un-mentionable leaching place that takes donations in and then sells them and gives 'a percentage' to charity.... I filled my car at the end of the day and dropped everything off at Scott Mission - and the reception I got there was fantastic - they were so happy to get the stuff, they even helped unload the car..... (Scott Mission is one of my favorite charities - they do so much for people - they have a food bank, a furniture bank, a free clothing bank, and they give out free hot lunches every day and they NEVER ask you what your financial status is - they treat everyone with dignity and respect....) I met some of the founders and organizers of this Free Market - I was TOTALLY impressed, stood there for a while and chatted and had a marvelous conversation - they should all be commended for the hard work they put into organizing these monthly events.... at the end of the day, they were exhausted, but they still had a big smile on their face.... kudos to them all! WE need to get involved - WE need to join in and participate and WE need to support this idea.... what a fantastic way to share all those items that you've offered on Freecycle that nobody emailed about, and what a great way to wander around and find items that you need, and what an even BETTER way to meet new friends who have the same goal - get stuff away from the landfill. First Saturday of every month - next month is their first anniversary - let's turn it into a big event - have a picnic, have a party and SHARE....... Isn't that what we are all about?

They said it would rain, but it only rained FREE stuff!

Photographs courtesy of Sandeep Chopade

Did you find a treasure at the market? Bump into a long-lost friend? Send us your story...

MY FIRST MARKET! (A story from a market goer.)

First-time market attendee Shawna writes:

On Saturday May 4th, I attended the Really Really Free Market for the very first time. It was already shaping up to be a beautiful warm spring day when I arrived at 10:30am. Although the crowd was initially sparse, there were already people dropping in to leave their contributions and to browse at what was available.

It was an incredibly friendly and welcoming environment. Upon my arrival, the smiling faces of the volunteers greeted me and gave me an overview of what was up. They told me to set my belongings out on the organized tables or clothing racks, and to take whatever I fancied.

I had only found out about the Really Really Free Market a few days previously, but when I did I decided right away that I'd check it out. I loved the concept, it seemed so brilliant to me. I made some bracelets and found some clothing articles I didn't need, and packed them into a bag. I was surprised at how quickly people took them. It's great to know something you made yourself will be put to use and enjoyed.

I ended up staying at the market until 1pm, offering help to the volunteers when needed. I'm so glad that I stumbled upon this excellent event. Not only did I find some great things, but I met some lovely people and signed up to volunteer in the future.

If you have the chance to attend the next market on June 1st, I would highly recommend it. I promise you won't be disappointed.

Don't forget to send us your Really Really Free Market @ Campbell Park story!
Photographs courtesy of Sandeep Chopade

Celebrating spring with an outdoor market!

We're you at our market May 4th? Send us your stories!
rrfmarket@gmail.com

April 6th was our largest market to date

Close to four hundred people attended the market. Was it a celebration of spring, or of the wonderful idea of a no-money no-trade no-barter market, or the fact that it was our 10th consecutive monthly market at Campbell Park? Probably all!

Here is what market attender D. Liuzzi wrote to us following the market:

It is because [Really Really Free Market] patiently answered all my questions in email that I checked it out and was not afraid to try and it exceeded my expectation. It felt great to be pleasently surprised and on the same page as we shared our similar experiences with...used stuff. My husband tells me the Portuguese have a word, "Furtura", it means more than enough, a situation of plenty. We are so lucky here in Canada.

 

Once when I was re-entering the RRFM their was a tiny line up/crowd at the door to get in as people talked and checked in, a woman behind me apprehensively asked, "Do you have to pay to get in?" I turned and smiled at her and happily said, "No." She looked a little confused. I could see she was trying to wrap her brain around the idea....no one wants anything except co-operation, no one wants MONEY.

Photographs courtesy of Sandeep Chopade

Do you have any stories from the March Market? Here's our picture-story...

A NOTE FROM ONE OF OUR REALLY REALLY FREE MARKET REGULARS

Really really free market is a great way of donating and getting stuff one needs. We have been at the market since summer and enjoyed this wonderful initiative. The skirt from the picture attached was from the February market. We used it for a costume for a charity show that will take place this coming week-end. Thank you to all the volunteers and market participants for making this happen. Lori and Rosi

 

Do you have impressions, stories, lucky finds to share with us? We'd love to hear!

Market stories.... We want yours!

Each of our markets is full of people stories and nice little moments that would not have happened were it not for the market.

Some of those best moments take place when someone walks in with an item, and someone else who happens to be there, exclaims, "just I what I've been looking for!" There are many things we only buy for others as a gift but consider it a luxury for ourselves... But in the market you might just find that "luxury" item for yourself, free!

One of the memorable moments this past market happened when a girl of about 10 brought some of her things to the market. Five minutes after she left, a woman took many of those things, saying that they were exactly what the orphanage she was going to visit in Taiwan was looking for. I wish the girl and her had met one another!

And then there was this Spanish  man at our market, just off the plane a week ago!  His girlfriend had arrived from Spain couple of months ago for a job in Toronto, and visiting the Really Really Free Market was one of the first things she did here. She immediately knew she wanted to volunteer at the market. And so when her boyfriend arrived to join her, three of them-herself, her boyfriend, and their beloved dog-came to the market. You will see the pooch's photo in the slide show of the previous post.

Please send your Really Really Free Market stories to rrfmarket@gmail.com

DID YOU MISS OUR LAST MARKET? FEAR NOT, WE HAVE ANOTHER ONE IN A MONTH!

COMING UP: OUR 8TH MARKET!

Time flies.... This Saturday we will be having our 8th consecutive monthly Really Really Free Market!

Some friendly reminders:

• Items in good, usable and working condition, and reasonably clean, please.
• You can take anything from the market up until 6 pm, but please bring your items before 4 pm. Some of the stuff brought after 4 pm. is not taken by market-goers. Since we have no storage space, we must take them to charities.Transportation to charities can be a challenge, so we hope you will kindly bring your items before 4 pm, but continue to take whatever you wish up to the end of the market.
• Don't forget that Campbell Park also has Pleasure Skating going on, and a lovely community supper sometime after 5pm. Check out their website on the right hand side panel. >>>

Happy freecycling. Hope you see you all at the market!

Scenes from our January Market!