The East Point Farmer's Market reopens this week with new hours. You can pick up fresh veggies and lots more on the first Wednesday and the third Saturday of the month.
From locally grown vegetables and bread to soaps and aromatherapy, seventeen vendors will be selling their goods as the East Point Farmers Market opens for its third season on Wednesday, April 2, at 4 p.m. (There's a location map at the bottom of the page.)
Sissie Lang, who manages the East Point Farmers Market, answered questions about the new season, the expanded hours and what people can expect at the market.
- 1st Wednesdays of the month from 4 p.m. - dusk (Summer 8 p.m)
- 3rd Saturdays of the month from 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
How'd it get started and what has been learned since the first year to grow the event ?
The Department of Economic Development recognized that the downtown East Point area was a food desert and felt that there was a large demand for a Farmers Market incorporating a variety of vendors and products that primarily focused on offering fresh, local, healthier food choices. This quality of life initiative was then presented as a public/private partnership with the City of East Point, the East Point Main Street Association, with support from an impressive group of dedicated volunteers from the community with a wealth of knowledge and diverse skill sets, a farmer’s market was born!
What do you hope a farmers market brings to downtown East Point?
From an economic standpoint, a farmers market is a great community building gathering that improves the quality of life of the City’s current residents and is attractive to individuals looking for an area to potentially reside. It also supports our local farmer’s and food producers and helps them grow their businesses.
The fact that this farmers market is the closest market to a MARTA Station (only 1 block away!) makes it very attractive to individuals that are choosing to live a healthier lifestyle and may not have access to an automobile. In addition, by bringing individuals from outside the area into the city, we have an opportunity to impress them while they are here, so that they can share their positive experiences with others they interact with outside the City. An added benefit is that they will become patrons of other area businesses while they are in the area (services, gas, restaurants, etc.)
How do you make sure the market is affordable and inclusive for everyone?
The East Point Farmers Market is community focused, and being so, wanted to find ways to make shopping for healthier food choices, regardless of income level, more accessible for the community. So the market teamed up with Wholesome Wave Georgia, a private organization, to double SNAP/WIC benefits up to $50/market! So, SNAP/WIC users receive $2 for every $1 of benefit to spend at the market. This not only helps the SNAP/WIC users, but it also helps the market grow by increasing sales for the current vendors, which allows the market to begin adding additional vendors to support the demand.
How many vendors are you expecting this year?
Vendor schedules vary based on season and whether it is a Wednesday or Saturday market, but we are proud to say we have 17 regular season vendors registered this year! There are closer to 30 vendors at the Holiday Markets in November & December when the market is opened up to all local artists to sell their handmade items in time for the holidays.
Any new vendors people may like to check out? (Can you share a list of all the vendors?)
Bakery @Rose Cottage
King of Pops
Savour Your Cake
Mercier Apples
Veggie Chicks
Pearson's Farm
Garlic Clove
Stellas Laundry
Table of Friends Bread & Jams
Breath of Heaven Soap
Wolf's Aromatics
Taylor Organic
Big Daddy Biscuits
Watsonia
P.A.T.C.H.
Café Campesino
CalyRoad Creamery
Pappardelle Pasta
Location:
[mappress mapid="85"]
What kind of products will people be able to find at the market? Is the food organic?
There is a large variety at this year’s market: Seasonal Produce, Meat, Cheese, Bread, Jellies/Jams, Pasta, Coffee, Eggs, Pastries, Sweets/Cakes, Fruit Popsicles, Laundry Detergent, Seasoned Grains, Aromatherapy, Skincare products and more! The primary focus is on local products, organic or sustainably grown, or products that are made with local or sustainably grown ingredients.
What are the hours and days for the market? And why did you decide to open on Wednesday?
The market is open April-December, 1st Wednesdays: 4pm-Dusk (8pm Summer) and 3rd Saturdays: 9am-1pm. This year’s goal for the market was to expand the season, hours and number of days it was offered to the community, which were all accomplished this year. The new date and time was based on previous patron survey data and vendor feedback.
What else would you like people to know about the market?
Please consider supporting the market this year in one of the following ways: help spread the word through work, neighborhoods, church, school, etc. (the flyer can be downloaded online at www.EastPointFarmersMarket.com), consider volunteering at one or two of the markets or simply come out and shop and enjoy the social/community building aspect of the market. Either way, this is your community market and it is dependent on people like you supporting it in whatever way you can!
Donations are encourage for the market! Every sponsor dollar that is given to the market benefits the market only and would greatly be appreciated!!!!
Market Manager: Sissie Lang (contact through www.EastPointFarmersMarket.com)
City Sponsor: Erin Rodgers, Economic Development
East Point Main Street Association: Tal Stanfield, Fitzgerald Smith
