With two Saturdays remaining for the Clarkston Farmers? Market, the organizers are already looking ahead to next year while vendors jockey to be part of the event.
‘We have people calling to sell for next year,? said co-founder Anissa Howard. ‘There’s a list of close to 40 (vendors) for next year. I get a call every other day inquiring about next year.?
The market housed 32 vendors at its peak, but has the room to double, according to Howard, who wants to expand while maintaining the right balance between vendor and customer.
‘We’re looking to add 15 vendors and we have the space. We have the capacity to expand, but we want to keep it produce-oriented. Everything must be locally grown; that was the whole point of this market,? said Howard.
‘We’re also looking to get regular entertainers and add to the atmosphere,? she continued.
Looking towards next year, Howard and co-founder Lynne Millies plan to adjust the schedule. They hope to start the market at 8 a.m. rather than 7 a.m. and run from mid-July to mid-October, to better capitalize on the rush of produce during the harvest season.
After nine months of preparation prior to opening, Millies and Howard agree that once the market started things came together quite flawlessly.
‘Once the market started, it took on a life of its own,? said Millies.
The women acknowledged a few minor adjustments like scouring garage sales for red wagons for customers to haul produce and accommodating a ‘dog-parking? area, but said there were few glitches.
The main challenge facing the market is funding. Howard said they are looking to become more involved in grant writing and pursuing donations to help the nonprofit event continue.
‘The vendors were selling out which was exciting. I think the match between the vendors and the amount of people coming was good,? said Howard.
Millies estimated about 9,000 people visited the market thus far, an average of 1,000 per Saturday.
Both women said they observed people mingling as they casually browsed the booths and enjoyed the variety of entertainment.
‘I’ve read a statistic in a sociology report from 2000 that people have 20 times the amount of conversation at a farmers? market than a supermarket,? said Howard, who recalled one woman say she loved the market because she could tell which of her friends were in attendance by the dogs held in the designated area.
‘We were pleasantly surprised by how many people in the public commented. Many said we’ve been waiting years for this,? said Howard.
Longtime Clarkston resident James Schultz attended the market nearly every week and enjoyed his Saturday morning trips.
‘I thought it was fantastic. They’ve worked so hard to bring all the people,? said Schultz. ‘I think Clarkston’s needed it for a long time. This was the way it used to be when Clarkston was young.?
Throughout each week, the ladies were busy coordinating vendors and lot assignments while typically arriving at the market by 4:30 a.m. They then greeted the vendors who arrived from 5 to 6:30 a.m.
Millies said the work was enjoyable despite the early mornings and she had no desire to slowdown.
‘We love it. I had last weekend off because it was my anniversary and I missed the market,? said Millies.
Millies and Howard credit Amy Siwicki, Chris Hardman, several other volunteers and sponsors for helping the market succeed.
The market is open from 8 a.m. to noon Oct. 22 and 29. On Oct. 22, kids are invited to wear costumes from 10 a.m.? noon and enjoy activities that include storyteller Danielle Todd, a Halloween cookie decorating demonstration, an opportunity to decorate cookies for $2 and face painting.
The Clarkston Farmers? Market is still accepting produce vendors for this year and next.
For more info, contact Anissa Howard at 248-625-9696 or Lynne Millies 248-620-0021.