International Grand Markets in Kuopio (Finland)
Kuopio city center market place, Finland Friday noon 19.8.2016
Mostly food but a lots of other stuff too, +150 sellers from +35 countries
Kansainväliset suurmarkkinat Kuopio
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POPULAR INTERNATIONAL MARKETS ARE MAKING DISTINCTIVE NATIONAL PRODUCTS AVAILABLE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC
Background
The participation of TMK (the Service Centre for Finnish Outdoor Markets) in joint European projects has borne fruit. Finnish traders have ventured into the European Market events of Central Europe as well as the discerning Christmas markets of Germany. In return, German, English, Italian and Dutch traders have visited Finland to sell their wares at different venues.
International Markets
International Market events are the pinnacle of markets. Only a handful of selected traders selling high quality, specialist products are permitted to participate from each country or specific region. Dealing directly with vendors is quite an experience for the average consumer e.g. purchasing pasta from an Italian trader or buying chocolate from a Belgian vendor trading from their elaborately decorated catering units. A group of around 250-traders, dealing in high quality produce, tour the International Market events. Continuously on tour with them is Jari Mäkelä, an entrepreneur from Pori, Finland, who specializes in Finnish handicrafts and products from Lapland e.g. linen products, knitwear, witch drums and reindeer bone necklaces and hides. Currently, Mäkelä mainly tours the markets in Italy, Holland and England.
Experiences from the market places of Europe
According to Jari Mäkelä, only vendors who take their business seriously and deal in national specialities are permitted to participate. The organizers of the European Market, Italian FIVA and EMF from Holland were excited about getting a Finnish trader and matters were dealt with swiftly. “Passable English” was enough to take care of all the practicalities.
The first European Market was held in Enschend, Holland and everything went well despite preliminary tensions. The market was located in the city centre and a dance festival held in conjunction guaranteed plenty of customers. According to Mäkelä, his 4×8 metre stand was continually photographed and created interest with the local TV station and press as well. Trading was busy and many new associations were formed proving the idea for a European Market was a success.
The first Finnish International market outdid expectations
Participating traders contacted Jari Mäkelä and asked him to organize a International Market in Finland. It was considered strange that Finnish traders were able to take part in Italian market events but Italians were unable to do so in Finland. Mäkelä then contacted Ari Kallas of the Service Centre for Finnish Outdoor Markets to suggest that the traders in question participate in events in Finland from July to August 2012. Two events were chosen as trial runs. The International Market in Tampere 19-21.7.2012 and the Kotka Maritime Festival 26-29.7.2012, both exceeded expectations and raised interest in Finland and the International market event. Fulfilling these expectations we arranged five-week International Market tour at Finland in 2013 and eight-week International Market tour in 2014. Both tours were big success.
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