World Fair Trade Day is being celebrated at the Caf‚ on Main with music, fair trade products for sale and information about how supporting fair trade can help alleviate poverty for workers in developing countries.

The event, which will be held Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., is being hosted in partnership with Notre Dame College School’s fair trade club and Jennifer Camplin of Fenwick Village Coffee Roasters. Patti Fagan, owner of Caf‚ on Main, said she was discussing World Fair Trade Day with Notre Dame religion teacher Carol Berkhout when she discovered students were hoping to have the record for the greatest number of fair trade transactions on fair trade day.

“So I thought it would be nice to have the students come in and serve customers,” said Fagan.

She said her caf‚ sells fair trade coffee and she hopes to expand on the fair trade products at her business.

One of the fair trade coffees sold at Caf‚ on Main is a product from Fenwick Village Coffee Roasters.

“I don’t think people realize that some fair trade coffee is roasted locally,” she said.

Not only is the fair trade coffee roasted here, the coffee comes in a 100 per cent biodegradable bag.

So when people purchase the fair trade coffee they are not only supporting a local business, but they are also helping to alleviate poverty and help people in developing countries to get a fair wage for their products. And, it’s environmentally friendly.

“We’re really trying to raise the awareness level … it’s global, but it’s in our backyard,” she said.

On the day of the event, Fagan said they will be keeping track of the number of fair trade transactions, including when people buy a cup of fair trade coffee or a bag of fair trade coffee to bring home.

And Fagan said there is a growing number of people asking for fair trade coffee.

“Fair trade coffee is the second pot I brew in the morning. It really is very good,” she said.

“It offers people a choice.”

Students will also be bringing fair trade products that are up for sale. The students are involved in a social justice program in the Dominican, said Fagan, where handmade bracelets made by women and children from there are sold here.

“They make bracelets as a means of their livelihood,” she said.

Fagan said because the caf‚ is a community place, it’s important to her to be involved in initiatives like World Fair Trade Day and she’s hopeful the community will also show their support for the students, local businesses and global issues.