Just off of Edmonton’s artistic Whyte Ave is the Acacia Hall, the venue for the Witchery Market. It all started with a witch and a faerie wanting a place for people to come. 

“Here is a story about The Witch and The Faerie. The Faerie wanted a larger space for her Faerie Markets, with only room for eight vendors in the classroom at the store, she dreamed of a larger market, The Witch wanted a venue that had atmosphere and magic. So they joined forces together, planned, merged their dreams and Magic Happened!! A new Edmonton Witches Market was created!” reads the story behind the market as told on their website, thewitcherymarket.com. 

This is a market for, well, witchery products. It’s a market where people can buy items used for different spiritualities include Wiccan, pagan, and witchcraft. Regardless of what deities, or elements, schools, or energies you’re in search of, there’s something here for you. 

Shawn McClellan and Karli Hodgeson attended the witching market just before Halloween and have regularly over the past four years. 

“It’s great to have a place that you can go and actually see things. It’s not just online. You get all this amazing alternative,” Hodgeson describes. “And the variety, everything you can think of (is) all right there in front of you instead of being on Etsy or something like that.”

Vendors in attendance include Skrocki Design, Warrior Apothecary, Pink Lighting, Hexelheim, Earthen Alchemy, Element Botanicals, Tizzy’s Treasure, Space Mermaid Creations, and Cary’s Cuttlefish, among several others. Products range from jewelry to crystals to spell ingredients, to resources.

“The creativity here just boggles my mind,” describes McClellan.

The market also features a number of tarot card readers and mediums. These include Terra Kenzie Longacre, Emery Christie, Heart To Heart Journey, and The Akashic Records.

One concern from attendees is the limited space in the venue itself. There’s not a lot of room for moving around at all. 

Hodgeson explains, “The venue size itself isn’t the problem though, the thing is that so many people come. That’s what it is. People just can’t stay away. That’s why it’s always so packed in there.” 

A thought on many attendees’ and vendors’ minds is what would it look like if the market did increase its venue size within its current location or even move to a new location to get more space.

“I don’t think it would be the same, really,” said McClellan, “I don’t know why. I just have a funny feeling that it would change.”

These markets happen four times a year in February, May, October, and December. There is less than a month left until the next one is happening on the weekend of Dec. 21. 

“Every year it gets better and better,” explains McClellan. “It’s not like it’s a shop that’s there all the time. So when they’re on, they’re on.”