The Ward Night Market
Meredith Sweeney
Guelph
Meredith’s project brought neighbours together through accessible community pop-ups that created joyful weekly gathering spaces and strengthened pride across St. Patrick’s Ward.
A Year of Neighbourhood Belonging
At its core, The Ward Night Market is about capturing and amplifying the potential and spirit of St. Patrick’s Ward, a diverse, hardworking, creative, and deeply welcoming neighbourhood. Meredith wanted to create a recurring third space where neighbours could gather, connect, and support one another without financial pressure. She also wanted to uplift local makers, artisans, and small vendors. The project was designed to offer accessible programming, ethical goods, free family activities, and consistent opportunities for social connection in a neighbourhood where inclusive gathering spaces are limited. Over time, the market operated as a pop-up community centre, fostering meaningful interactions among residents, vendors, and community groups while building neighbourhood pride and resilience.
The expanded Ward Night Market community pop-ups quickly became a beloved weekly ritual. Every Thursday, the event ran in perfect weather, allowing hundreds of residents from across Guelph to participate. The market provided free activities including live music, bubble wands, tie-dye stations, and swap tables, and offered accessible free entry for neighbours who wanted to visit without spending money. The project also facilitated engagement with community organizations, including Guelph Blood Services, Autism Guelph, Guelph Community Living, Good FEWD, local historians, and animal rescue organizations. Dozens of local vendors gained consistent income opportunities, and residents described the market as a joyful third space that improved community connection and mental well-being.
Many shared that attending became a routine, a way to show off their neighbourhood to visiting friends, and a reliable gathering place where they felt safe, proud, and connected.
Over the past year, Meredith learned how deeply the community values regular, accessible, and welcoming gathering spaces. When the season began later than usual, neighbours openly expressed how much they had missed the markets and looked forward to their return. Residents anticipated which vendors and activities would appear each week and enjoyed exploring different neighbourhood locations. At the same time, economic pressures meant many people came primarily for the social experience rather than purchasing non-essential goods. This helped Meredith understand the importance of maintaining free programming while also supporting vendor sustainability.
The project faced several challenges. Plans to close a local street revealed unexpectedly high insurance and permit costs, so Meredith adjusted the year’s plans and set aside funding to try again in 2026. Economic pressures sometimes affected vendor sales, so she strengthened marketing, expanded free family activities, and pursued grants to subsidize vendor fees. Volunteer recruitment was also a challenge, so she streamlined operations, built stronger relationships with returning volunteers, and focused on sustainable workflows.
Throughout the year, new partnerships emerged. OCC funding helped unlock a larger tourism grant from Guelph Tourism, expanding advertising and media capacity. A significant new relationship with Ward One Studios has led to a professional media project scheduled for release in spring 2026. Local businesses such as Lost Aviator Coffee, Naha Thai, and Bev’s on Beverly expanded venue options and reach. Additional community groups joined, including individuals from Bus Stop 360 and the St. Patrick’s Ward Neighbourhood Land Trust, enriching the market’s social impact.
My leadership is flexible, people-centred, and deeply rooted in care for my community.
As a community leader, Meredith learned that her leadership is rooted in collaboration, curiosity, and shared learning. She thrives when exchanging ideas, supporting others, and creating spaces where people feel comfortable contributing their skills and stories. This year revealed the depth of her resilience. While navigating the emotional strain of a bad-faith renovation, she still found ways to support her neighbourhood and saw how her leadership could withstand personal challenges. She also learned to trust her creativity and neurodivergent strengths in problem-solving, multitasking, generating ideas, and adapting quickly when plans changed.
Looking ahead, Meredith plans to strengthen the Ward Night Market’s long-term sustainability, pursue grants, expand free programming, and continue advocating for walking, biking, and local mobility. She hopes to support conversations around housing justice and explore the possibility of a community land trust in St. Patrick’s Ward. Her ideal future community reflects solarpunk values, with walkable streets, shared creative spaces, ecological design, protected affordable housing, and accessible public gathering places for all ages. Above all, she imagines a neighbourhood that feels safe, connected, proud, and full of possibility.
About Meredith Sweeney
Meredith Sweeney is a community organizer, creative producer, and founder of The Ward Night Market in Guelph, Ontario. As a neurodivergent entrepreneur with ADHD and dyslexia, she brings a strengths-based lens to placemaking, grassroots organizing, and local economic development. Over the past decade, she has supported community-driven initiatives including the Guelph Tool Library, the Backyard Caring Program, the Two Rivers GROW Community Garden, and Mylkshake Inc. Through The Ward Night Market, she creates low-barrier, hyper-local pop-ups that support emerging vendors, encourage sustainable shopping practices, and celebrate the cultural and social diversity of St. Patrick’s Ward.
Instagram: @ ward_night_market, @theterriblephotographer
Facebook: @Ward Night Markets
LinkedIn: @Ward Night Markets
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