Winter blues meet community warmth at UTSC Indoor Market
The next UTSC Indoor Market is set to host on 12 Feb. 2026 at the Meeting Place.
DropThaBomb by Patrick Vil has been part of the UTSC community markets for about four years, and as Patrick shared, the community has grown to expect their presence at the events. (Photo credits: Instagram // @utscfarmersmarket)
The smell of the free popcorn took over the Highland Hall Event Centre as the University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC) Indoor Market opened on Jan. 22. These community markets are held roughly once a month and feature over 20 vendors.
Many small local businesses offer a variety of products, ranging from baked goods to jewellery. This month, the tables were divided into two blocks, and the venue's back provided space and freedom for visitors to circulate and browse. Near the entrance doors, the UTSC Food Partnerships stand was selling jarred honey, produced by campus bees on the university farm. In addition to free popcorn, students could also take a free Polaroid picture with friends.
Kairra Clemente, a fifth-year student, shared that the best part of the event was seeing people's small businesses and the opportunity to support them. Her friend, Evaelle, added that the diversity of the people and what is brought to the market are her favourite parts. Their other friend, McKenna, completed the list by adding that it is a nice place to try new things and to hang out with friends between classes.
One of the highlights for third-year Mia Cornelius was the uniqueness of what was being sold. “I like homemade stuff that actually feels homemade,” said Cornelius as she discussed the items she bought, including the UTSC jarred honey.
Nostalgia91 Candle Co. table by UTSC alumna Aysha Sidiq at the market. (Photo Credits: Gabriela Takatu Vacarini // The Underground)
At the end of a block of tables was Nostalgia91 Candle Co. The stall is run by UTSC alumna Aysha Sidiq, who presented hand-poured scented candles. Sidiq said that her inspiration for the scents is “moments that are small and can resonate and be cherished.”
Having participated in many UTSC events, Sidiq shared that UTSC's best-selling scent is Sweater Weather. Additionally, she disclosed that her minor in Creative Writing has helped her write descriptions for the scents.
Foxy Collections is run by Amy Ka Po Miu, who has been participating in the UTSC community markets for around two years. The creation of the small metallic robots and the colourful mushroom creatures sold by Miu began as a hobby and, after trial and error, became art pieces sold in markets. They were joined by other vendors, including Perfume_Jungle, SCSU Food Centre, Atelier Yan, Black Star Zando, and Almond Handmade.
Sleepyhinaa table by a first-year student at UTSC at the market. (Photo Credits: Gabriela Takatu Vacarini // The Underground)
On the other side of the venue, among stickers and art prints stood Hannah Chan, a first-year student at UTSC, who set up her stall, Sleepyhinaa, on the right block of tables. Hana has been selling her art and taking part in markets since she was in the 8th Grade. This market was her third one on campus; however, she has been part of many other school markets. She confessed that she was happy to be able to show her art to others.
Next to Hana, at the tip of the block, was DropThaBomb. The table, run by Patrick Vil, was filled with pop-culture themed bath bombs made from all-natural ingredients. DropThaBomb has been part of the UTSC community markets for about four years, and as Vil shared, the community has grown to expect their presence at the events. He added that one of the best parts of participating in the market is students’ honest feedback. “Students are inspiring," he said, with a fond smile on his face.
Bone and Quill table featuring objects from various Indigenous cultures at the market. (Photo Credits: Gabriela Takatu Vacarini // The Underground)
At the other end, Bone and Quill had their table adorned with objects from various Indigenous cultures from the Americas. Marcos Arcentales, the vendor in charge of the table, commented that throughout the four years Bone and Quill has been part of the market, students have brought good questions about Indigenous cultures. Arcentales believes that it is important to share the stories behind the items and that the connection with people is a special aspect of the event. Joining them were also Henry's Seasoning Blends, Spelly Handmade Gifts, the UTSC Bookstore, ChaatWala, and Shutterbug.
Towards the back, students could find Marché Marie at the right-hand end of the line of tables. Marché Marie has been part of the UTSC market for two years, and one of the most popular items is the Almond Croissant.
On the other end, Lago of All, run by Georgina and Christina, displayed colourful articles of clothing, most made by the two women themselves out of fabric imported from many African countries, such as Kente cloth from Ghana. Georgina shared that they have been part of the UTSC community for almost a decade. Other stands included Square One Haitian Foods, Mabellie Bakes, Bread and Salt Fine Food, and Blessinglicious.
The next indoor UTSC market is set to host on Feb. 12, 2026 at the Meeting Place. You can visit the official UTSC Market Instagram for more information at @utscfarmersmarket.
