The Farmers Market returns to Downtown Bradenton with a new name, other changes
The fall season isn’t as easily distinguished in Florida as it is in northern states, but it does signal a return of the Bradenton Farmers’ Market scheduled for this Saturday on Old Main Street.
Though, there’s a new name for 2021.
It’s now called the Downtown Bradenton Public Market, which is organized by non-profit organization Realize Bradenton and the City of Bradenton’s Community Redevelopment Agency.
“(It’s) a reflection of how much the market has evolved and grown over the last few years,” Realize Bradenton director of communications and community engagement Andrea Knies said. “So even though we have farmers and fresh produce, and that is still the staple of the event, we’ve also have a lot of creative people. We have entrepreneurs that are trying new products. We have musicians. We have artisans.”
The original market began in 1979, with 2021 seeing a new name and artisans being featured weekly instead of monthly.
Additionally, Chef in the Market will be returning. That and other activities for the market will be seen Nov. 13. That’s the official kickoff for the market, which runs October through May each Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
This week and subsequent weeks leading into Nov. 13 is just a return of vendors open to the public before the official kickoff date.
“It’s really just about making sure people understand that this is your market, this is the public’s market and this is a space for us to come together as a community,” Knies said.
The Downtown Bradenton Public Market’s 2021 season will also mirror 2020 in terms of COVID-19 health and safety protocols with similar spacing of vendors compared to how it looked in 2019. Hand sanitizer stations will continue to be available, while face masks are encouraged, but not required.
“In line with the CRA’s mission of the redevelopment of Downtown Bradenton, events that bring people to the downtown help drive foot traffic and spending to independent businesses, as well as promote our community’s quality of life with access to fresh foods and public places for socializing and walking,” Katerina Gerakios-Siren, executive director of the Community Redevelopment Agency said in a news release.
Parking is free in the City Centre parking garage on Third Avenue West.
This story was originally published September 29, 2021 at 3:22 PM.
