“We heard a lot from people that they’d really rather have the market back the way it was, so we worked quickly in May to get it going weekly as regular markets,” said Kari Russo, farmers market supervisor for the city of Fairfield.
In order to provide enough space, the weekly summer market moved to tents in the Fairfield Community Arts Center parking lot in June. Being on Wessel Drive with increased visibility and additional signage helped to attract even more customers this year.
“We gained a lot of customers. Every week we saw new faces that didn’t know the market was there before,” Russo said.
The market will opened last Wednesday from 4 to 6:30 p.m., and it will continue throughout the winter. The market will be held on the first and third Wednesdays of each month. The winter market is located at the Fairfield Community Arts Center. In November, the market will be held outdoors, weather permitting.
The market will move indoors in December. A few of the vendors may be located on the front sidewalk. The market will coincide with the opening of the Festival of Trees in the art gallery, which will begin on Dec. 2. The Festival of Trees will run through Dec. 18. Following the Festival of Trees, holiday trees will be donated to the less fortunate in the community.
“Residents and guests can come check out the decorated trees as well as the farmer’s market. We did this last year, and it was a great success, combining the market and the launch of the Festival of Trees,” Russo said.
The market will continue indoors throughout the winter months. The weekly market is expected return April 28 and it will continue through October.
“Our vendors bring their very best every week, regardless of the month. So, you’re going to see new things at the market,” Russo said.
Visitors to the winter market will expect to find 13 vendors, featuring homemade, homegrown, and local products. All of the producers at the market are required to grow, bake, or make their products – some are harvested, grown, or made on the of the day of the market. The majority of the products at the market are grown or produced in Butler County – if not, within 100 miles of Fairfield. When you look at the market in its entirety, the average distance from the vendor to the market is 26 miles. Over 50 percent of the vendors are woman-owned businesses. Last year, there were 22 vendors.
“We are proud of our vendors. I think we have a really great mix of vendors at the market. There are a broad variety of products that our residents and guests can take advantage of,” Russo said.
The winter market will include two new vendors, City Belle Fried Pies and Graybeal Woodworks. Guests will find locally baked bread, fresh coffee, baked goods, eggs, wellness items, seasonal produce and much more.
This is the fifth year for Fairfield’s market, which moved to a year-around market about four years ago.
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