Kendenup market marks anniversary as community social hub

The co-ordinator of Kendenup Town Hall Market says the markets have saved the local hall from ruin after running the event successfully for one year.

The market started as a means to save the local town hall and has become a popular social gathering.

Co-ordinator Alice Stephenson said the Kendenup community looked forward to the monthly event as an excuse to get out to meet people from the region.

“Before the market started, the hall was only used once a year for an end-of-year concert,” she said.

“So we decided to start the market to save the hall, because it wasn’t being used and it cost the Shire some money to maintain.”

The market, which will celebrate its first anniversary on Saturday next week, now hosts an average of about 25 stallholders.

It was involved in the Taste Great Southern festival when chef Scott Brannigan, of Bread in Common, cooked for a day.

Ms Stephenson said what started as a way to save Kendenup Town Hall, had also filled a gap in the community.

“We don’t have a big community here in Kendenup, so the market provides us a chance to get to know each other in the region,” she said.

“I spoke with someone who had been living in town for seven years and didn’t know hardly anybody. Because there is not a lot here in Kendenup, the market has become a social gathering for the community.”