Not everyone is attracted to the same thing, so an array of choices can only be a positive.

And that’s certainly the case with what’s happening in Greater Vernon on Friday nights.

The Vernon Friday Night Market will continue to be a tradition at the Village Green Centre, and that’s great for those individuals who want to access farm-fresh produce, baking or home preservatives. Fridays are also anchored by the Coldstream Farmers Market, which focuses on sustainability and crops that are free of genetic engineering.

Added to the mix this year is the Avenue Market on portions of Vernon’s 30th Avenue.

“It’s an open public market and not a farmers market. We will have different vendors and we will be doing it primarily for the merchants downtown,” said Lara Konkin, with the Downtown Vernon Association, which is organizing the Avenue Market.

The goal is to enhance the vitality of downtown Vernon on a Friday night and provide an opportunity for residents to come together as a community, something the two farmers markets already do on a Friday.

If anything, local residents will have the best of all worlds now. If they want fruits and vegetables, they can go to the farmers markets. If retail-oriented goods are more to their liking, they can head downtown. For some residents, they may only take in one of the events, while others may prefer to make the rounds.

They all offer something distinct. In fact, they could work co-operatively to market themselves and ensure locals and residents from the broader region are aware of what’s going on.

And if that occurs, everyone turns out a winner.