Sea to Sky families with newborn or young children now have a new annual event to look forward to while meeting their baby's needs thanks to a couple of enterprising local moms.
Betty Sheehan and Kay Protheroe present the Sea to Sky Family Fair Sept. 18 at the West Coast Railway Heritage Park in the newCNRoundhouse and Conference Centre as a way to show off locally made products and bring Sea to Sky parents together.
The pair has solicited local "mom-preneurs," as well as larger companies, to set up booths or sponsor the grassroots family fair.
"We're starting small," said Sheehan. "There won't be 100 booths this first year, but we will grow over time."
The current lineup of presenters includes preschools, dental and eye care, yoga, homeopathic remedies, clothing, products, toys and more geared toward families with younger children.
"There is also a photo contest, face painting, bouncy castle and more," she said.
Sheehan said she got the idea shortly after becoming a mom.
"I used to work in Whistler, so Squamish was only my bedroom community," she said. "When I had a daughter, I found myself spending more time in town, wondering what was around for moms and babies."
After attending a baby clothing fair at Brennan Park, Sheehan started to get the germ of an idea.
"At first I was just wondering if I could get a booth at the clothing fair," she said. "Then I started thinking about how great it would be to have a baby fair, similar to bridal shows and fairs."
Sheehan started talking about the idea online with other local moms.
"I started sharing my ideas with other parents on Facebook mom groups," she said. "That's where I met Kay, who liked my idea."
The two began talking and knew there was a need for this type of fair.
"I needed something with a really flexible schedule in order to be able to stay home with my son," said Protheroe.
"I wanted to bring together my needs as a mum with the resources and retailers in the Sea to Sky region. I love the great energy and community spirit in Squamish, and I knew that this type of family event could be a real success in this area."
Sheehan said interested local presenters could still secure a booth at the event to show their wares.
"We still have some vendor spots open," she said. "And we would really like to showcase homegrown baby products and services."
Interested vendors can go to seatoskyfair.vpweb.ca for more information.
The first annual Sea to Sky Family Fair runs Sept. 18 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the West Coast Railway Heritage's CNRoundhouse and Conference Centre.
Admission is bydonation to the BC Children'sHospital Foundation.
