The Punk Rock Flea Market KW is bringing its mix of alternative vendors and live music with the event’s 14th edition on Sept. 13, 2026.
This year brings two significant changes to the long-running event series. The event is happening at the Kitchener Market for the first time, and Punk Rock Flea Market KW founders Chris Walton and Stacie Jones have handed over the reins to local artists Jon Johnson and Kelsi Sorensen.
Taking over the Punk Rock Flea Market was not on Johnson’s radar when he was selling his collection at the market last June. He said that, as he was leaving, Jones mentioned they were thinking about ending the market and focusing on live shows instead.
“I didn’t want to just see it disappear,” Johnson said. “I had some experience doing markets in the past, and I told her I’d be interested in taking it over.”
As fate would have it, Sorensen had a similar conversation. Walton and Jones moved to Windsor a few years ago and were commuting to Kitchener to run the market. Jones had shared that it was becoming more difficult to manage and they were looking to pass the market off to new leadership. It was the perfect opportunity for Sorensen.
“I had moved to the area a few years ago and I really wanted to get involved locally. I told Stacie I had the time, interest and energy, and I told her to let me know if she wanted to get the ball rolling,” Sorensen said.
Johnson messaged Sorensen and shared his conversation. They quickly realized it was something they could take on together.
In February, Jones announced on Instagram the market was going into “the hands of some well-respected local business owners.” Johnson said that, at first, he thought it was not going to be them. Then he got a message from Jones.
“A couple weeks after that, Jones messaged and asked, ‘So you guys want to take it over?’ That was that and the next thing we knew, we were planning,” Johnson said.
Punk Rock Flea Markets happen across the U.S. and Canada. The earliest documented market was held at the gymnasium at Massachusetts College of Art and Design (Mass Art) in Boston, Massachusetts.
The idea quickly spread, with the first Canadian Punk Rock Flea Market started in Hamilton in 2014. Sorensen said that there is no central organization or branding; it is a purely do-it-yourself event.
“If someone wants to do one in their city, they can just start doing it,” Sorensen said.
The first thing Sorensen and Johnson did was write down what changes they wanted to see in the event. Sorensen said the number one improvement was accessibility.
“One of the venues used in the past was very affordable, but it only had stairs,” Sorensen said. “We’ve had an increase of vendors asking for accessibility, so that was really important for us. The Kitchener Market is the perfect trifecta of being downtown, has parking and is close to transit and trails, and has elevators and ramps.”
Johnson, a long time Kitchener resident, added that keeping the Punk Rock Flea Market going is a way to give back to the community that has supported him.
“I just want to give back and be a part of shows and markets that I experienced growing up. Hopefully this will get people out and together in one space,” Johnson said.
For Sorensen, who moved to the area a few years ago, the Punk Rock Flea Market is a chance to integrate deeper with her new hometown.
“I just want to be doing something in my community now,” Sorensen said. “I’m just really excited to see how far we can take it.”
Since the inception of this article, Kelsi Sorensen has taken on the role of creative director at the Community Edition.
Leave a Reply