Fall Farmers’ Market to run Oct. 6-Nov. 24
Published 11:27 am Friday, September 21, 2012
The fall Farmers’ Market that begins Oct. 6 with the Fall Festival will continue through November, the Vicksburg Main Street Board of Directors was told Thursday.
Farmers’ Market coordinator Kristen Meehan said the market will run every Saturday from 8 to 11 a.m. through Nov. 24.
“Our first market will be in the 1400 block of Washington Street for the festival and then move to our usual location at Jackson Street and Washington for the remaining Saturdays,” she said. “So far, we have eight vendors lined up.”
She said after the meeting that Main Street decided to hold a fall market because of the response from residents who visited the summer market.
“They really liked it and wanted it to continue,” she said. “We felt that after five years it was time to expand our season.
The Farmers’ Market began in June 2008 and has been a regular summer event downtown, operating every Wednesday and Saturday during the summer.
Main Street in October 2011 received a $47,823 U.S. Department of Agriculture Farmers’ Market Promotion Grant. The grant provided money for a marketing manager and assistant manager who are hired as private contractors.
The Board of Mayor and Aldermen in March hired a manager and assistant manager, but both resigned in May, forcing the board to readvertise in June for both jobs. Main Street volunteers ran the market for the remainder of the summer season.
The board on July 30 approved a contract with Sonny Hale, a Master Gardener, to serve as marketing manager for the Farmers’ Market for $21 an hour, not to exceed $13,860, through Sept. 30, 2013, when the grant funds expire.
City grants administrator Marcia Weaver said the city will hire an assistant marketing manager at a later date.
In another matter, the board recessed until Oct. 4 to approve a slate of candidates for three openings on the board of directors. Directors serve three-year terms and are elected by the property owners in the city’s downtown taxing district.
The terms of three directors — Nancy Bell, Linda Gerache and Harry Sharp — have expired. Bell has been nominated for another term, said Meehan, who is chairman of the nominating committee.
She said Realtor Remy Massey, businessman Skipper Guizerix, lawyer Philip Schrader and three other people also have been nominated as candidates. She would not release the names of the other three people because they have not agreed to be candidates.
In other action, the board:
• Discussed Bricks and Spokes and the Fall Festival.
• Discussed plans for the National Night Out, Oct. 2. The downtown observance will be from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Bazsinsky House, 1022 Monroe St.
•Set “A Charlie Brown Christmas” as the theme for the Dec. 1 Christmas Parade of Lights.