April 6, 2026
MarketFest: In Peace and Friendship returned to Wilfrid Laurier University’s Brantford campus on March 26, welcoming students, staff, faculty and community members for a day-long celebration of Indigenous creativity, culture and connection.
Building on the success of its 2024 debut, the free event transformed One Market’s atrium into a vibrant Indigenous marketplace featuring more than 30 vendors alongside a dynamic showcase of music and dance enjoyed by 250 attendees throughout the day.
“At Laurier, we commonly share land acknowledgments. I’m incredibly proud of the way MarketFest has taken those words of acknowledgment and put them into action,” says Laurier President and Vice-Chancellor Deborah MacLatchy.
When the university acquired One Market, it inherited a space with a complex history — one that, after years of mutually beneficial trade between Indigenous peoples and settlers, became a site of exclusion and contention. Today, the university is working to restore that spirit of reciprocity as part of its broader commitment to reconciliation and Indigenization.
“Continuing to host MarketFest in this space is a meaningful step toward fulfilling that commitment,” says Laurier Associate Vice-President: Indigenous Initiatives Darren Thomas. “It’s a living expression of reconciliation — one that supports Indigenous artists while creating opportunities for connection and mutual benefit.”
That “Two Row” spirit carried through the planning of MarketFest, a collaboration between Laurier’s Office of Indigenous Initiatives and the Brantford campus Communications and Community Engagement team. With financial support from Laurier Brantford Grants, Laurier’s Strategic Initiatives Fund, the Margaret Stedman Brantford Endowment and the Ruth Stedman Brantford Endowment, the two teams moved forward in tandem, each bringing their strengths to shape a shared vision for MarketFest. Their work on the inaugural 2024 event earned both the Council for Advancement and Support of Education’s Best of District II Award for Special Events (In-Person, Multi-Day) and silver in the Canadian Council for the Advancement of Education’s Prix d’Excellence for Best Indigenous/Reconciliation Event.
To build on that momentum, organizers once again partnered with Indigenous artist and Laurier alum Alanah Jewell (BA ’19) of Morningstar Designs as market curator. Interest from vendors was so strong that a waiting list was required.
“Vendors have been asking about a second MarketFest ever since the first event wrapped,” says Jewell. “It’s become one of their favourite markets because of the supportive, organized staff and One Market’s proximity to Six Nations of the Grand River, Brantford and Toronto. Through word of mouth, even more vendors wanted to take part this year.”
From intricately beaded earrings to soft leather moccasins, the craftsmanship on display drew a steady stream of visitors throughout the day.
“It’s so meaningful to see Indigenous craft and apparel being bought and sold in a space that, for a very long time, intentionally excluded Indigenous people.”
Emily Daniel, director, Office of Indigenous Initiatives
For Emily Daniel, director of Laurier’s Office of Indigenous Initiatives, the market represents more than a showcase of artistic talent.
“A vendor market is a really accessible way for our non-Indigenous campus community to engage with Indigenous culture and creativity at their own pace,” says Daniel.
At the height of the midday rush, Daniel paused to take in the crowds browsing the merchandise and the goods trading hands.
“It’s so meaningful to see Indigenous craft and apparel being bought and sold in a space that, for a very long time, intentionally excluded Indigenous people,” she says.
Helping to crystallize that moment in Daniel’s memory was the noontime performance by Joe Martin and the Grand River Smoke Dancers of Six Nations of the Grand River, who demonstrated a variety of Earth songs from the Rotinonshonni (Haudenosaunee). Guests were invited to join the group in several dances.
The event also marked the launch of the MarketFest: In Peace and Friendship podcast, now available on Spotify and introduced to attendees through an on-site listening station. Produced by Laurier students and the university’s podcaster-in-residence, Avery Moore Kloss, in partnership with the Laurier Library, and funded by the Wilfrid Laurier University Students’ Union, the five-episode series documents the inaugural MarketFest through insights from speakers including Thomas and land rights expert Phil Monture of Six Nations of the Grand River.
No less compelling are the stories of this year’s vendors, many of whom took to social media to reflect on what the event meant to them as a platform for creative expression and a space to connect with fellow makers.
For market curator Jewell, the significance is deeply personal.
“It’s so special to be back at Laurier on a completely different path than I imagined while I was a student,” she says. “Seven years after graduating, I get to bridge communities through a shared appreciation for Indigenous art, culture and people.”
Engaging with the campus community at MarketFest brings her back to her student years, when she was still searching for her identity — something she now feels she’s found, along with a responsibility to help other artists do the same.
“It’s such an honour to show other Indigenous artists that where we form our roots, and where we take up space, truly matters.”
Laurier Brantford is more than a place of learning — it’s a hub where community and campus come together. From cultural events like MarketFest to student-led projects that strengthen local organizations, Laurier is making a real impact in Brantford every day. Sign up for the Campus Connections Brantford e-newsletter to stay on top of upcoming events and inspiring stories.
