Main Street Markham is the stretch along Main Street North (think Markham Road that gets temporarily renamed) between Highway 7 and roughly 144 Main Street North, which houses a handful of eateries on the west side of the street. There are side streets that extend a block east and west to complete the geographical area. I have seen it change over the years. Banks and eateries have come and gone. However, its charm and revitalization have made this area even better. Main Street Markham is the original street of the Village of Markham. It is one of Ontario's older communities, which was established in 1793 as part of Markham Township. The town was named after Archbishop William Markham on York, England by John Graves Simcoe, who was the Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada. It's sad that the Archbishop never visited his namesake. Hopefully, he's looking down at it from above and smiling. There used to be a post office, but it's long gone in this area. Markham is now a city, so the post office moved to a nearby Shoppers Drug Mart. There are some eateries that have endured over the years. Pizza Pizza. The Old Curiosity Tea Shop. Folco's Ristorante. They are still thriving. I remember going for elections training as a Deputy Returning Officer for the City of Markham a while back. It was in a building just behind Folco's Ristorante. There was free parking in front of it. You can find free parking either in parking lots or on Main Street itself. The eateries have changed so much at 144 Main Street North that I frankly can't keep track of what's there. I used to frequent a sushi joint there eons ago. These days, you can find creative, cool eateries, such as Inspire Restaurant, Azyun Restaurant, Main Sushi, Fujisan Japanese Restaurant, and more. My friend and I often joke that we should meet up at Uncle Joe's Family Restaurant, which is just south of all these eateries. It has also been there for ages. The portion sizes are huge and the food is good. We both know that we'd need to be carted out of the place after dining there! One eatery that I miss along this stretch is Rawlicious. My best friend who is vegan and I loved dining here. Sadly, the pandemic caused it to shutter for good. The food was awesome. Whether you are vegan or not, you knew that you'd enjoy decent, creative, yummy eats here. I used to visit Markham Seniors Activity Centre and took my mom there before the pandemic hit. There were a bunch of activities that my mom enjoyed doing, from tai chi, to arts and crafts. A bunch of events happen in this area. The Main Street Markham Farmers' Market takes place on Saturdays from mid-May till the first week of October each year. You can get a lot of local produce, baked goods, and more. It runs from 9 am till 1 pm on Robinson Street. During the summer, there's free live music outdoors. It's called Music on Main. Live music starts at 6 pm and goes until roughly 9 pm. Bands basically play in front of different businesses each Friday night, so you can enjoy dining on a patio and taking in a performance, or simply hang out on the sidewalk and enjoy the music. Coming up the is Main Street Trick-or-Treat just before Halloween. A month before Christmas, the festival of lights happens on this street, along with the Santa Claus Parade that happens on a Saturday. The street shuts down and everyone lines up to take in the floats, bands, Santa, and more. Markham also has an Easter Parade. It's cool that it's a smaller version of what I grew up enjoying as a kid in Toronto. Markhamites are friendly. You see a lot more of it in this area. Maybe it has something to do with how quaint this street is that it affects their mood and attitude. I haven't checked out the newer businesses that have established themselves here. Slice of Fire Pizza. Second Cup Coffee Company. Super Smash Burgs. T&T Bakery and Cafe. Cho-Kwok-Lat. I do need to spend more time in this area. It's a cool, quaint area. I recommend dropping by to check it out when you have a chance. (315) read more