Six Nations of the Grand River Economic Development Corporation hosted its second annual Jingle by the Grand holiday craft and artisan market on Saturday, November 22, 2025.
The event, which was held at the Gathering Place, featured 37 different vendors offering a wide variety of products. From Christmas ornaments to cookies, crochet creations, tumblers, artisanal soaps, moccasins, clothing and clay pottery, there were plenty of items to browse and buy throughout the run of the event.
“There’s a real wide range of products here. We have everything from local baked goods to dreamcatchers, handmade beaded earrings, horn rattles and other traditional gifts,” said Alysha Filer, Marketing Manager for Six Nations of the Grand River Economic Development Corporation. “I know one gentleman out there has carved the Great Law of Peace on moose antlers, as well as a box with the whole creation story in it, so a lot of our vendors are really bringing their culture into the craft here.”
Filer said the idea behind the event was to give small businesses a chance to sell their wares.
“We have so many amazing artisans in the community who sell authentic Indigenous products that are handmade locally,” she said. “We’re here to give a platform to our local artists to sell their amazing products to the public.”
Filer added that one of the perks to this particular event being put on by the organization is that the opportunity to get the word out is more widespread.
“I’ve noticed that, overall, Six Nations and the surrounding communities have some really phenomenal makers, but it can be more challenging to get your name out there,” she explained. “We do have some regular markets that happen in the community, but with us as a corporation, we have all of these other divisions, so we’re able to spread the word through social media and let our customers know what’s happening, and give those businesses a far broader audience than they might get elsewhere. We really try to share with surrounding communities, like in Brantford and Norfolk, and invite them to Six Nations to experience this.”
Dylan Wolfe, who was there representing Nans Cookies, a newer Six Nations-based business, said it was nice to be there directly engaging with the community.
“Being able to meet the people we want to enjoy our product, get their live feedback and engage with the overall community as well as all of the other vendors is a big benefit,” he said. “There’s a lot of work to be done as a new business, things like coming up with packaging ideas, or retail ideas and marketing, so to just kind of stop and breathe, and be with people is great.”
Tianna Johnson of Auntie T’s Beadwork, who started creating during the pandemic, said this was her second time participating in the event as a vendor.
“With the pandemic, I had to do something so I picked up beading and other different crafts, and it’s kind of expanded since then,” she said. “I’ve done a lot of markets and I think the benefit is definitely getting your name out there. It’s also nice to see other people and help your customers put a face to the name and see who is behind all that creative work, especially because you can only do so much on social media.”
Filer said she was pleased with the turnout for this year’s event.
“We’ve had a lot of people come through and I’ve heard from most of the vendors that they’re happy with the turnout, and so they’re already asking for it to come back again in 2026,” she said. “We’re just really happy to bring the event back to the area and share this with both the local and surrounding community members.”
She added that any surplus profit made through Six Nations of the Grand River Development Corporation ultimately goes towards the organization’s trust and back to the residents.
“Surplus profit from all of our enterprises goes back into the community for different endeavors and initiatives such as language programs, Two Row on the Grand paddling, or helping the local schools,” explained Filer. “Everything that we do here goes back into the community and so that’s why we really want to encourage people to come out and see what’s going on at each of our facilities like here at the Gathering Place by the Grand, Six Nations Bingo and Chiefswood Park.”
Kimberly De Jong’s reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative.The funding allows her to report rural and agricultural stories from Blandford-Blenheim and Brant County. Reach her at kimberly.dejong@brantbeacon.ca.
