The Hollister Downtown Association is getting ready to reopen
the farmers market in May, but with a few changes to encourage
greater attendance.
The Hollister Downtown Association is getting ready to reopen the farmers market in May, but with a few changes to encourage greater attendance.
The HDA gave new life to the farmers market last year, attracting shoppers to the three-block outdoor location on East Street Wednesday afternoons from May through October. But by the end of the six-month run, attendance had dropped.
“We know it was dying off near the end,” said HDA Executive Director Liz Kresky, blaming the cool October temperatures. “This year we’ll close it down in September so it won’t be as cold.”
The farmers market will resume May 7 and continue Wednesdays through Sept. 24 from 3 to 7 p.m. – opening and closing an hour earlier than last year.
“With the change in the time, we hope to have more people out there,” Kresky said.
Changes for this year’s venue are minor, but enough to make an improvement, according to Farmers Market Committee Chairperson Barbara Bauer.
“We have something for everybody,” she said. “We wanted to make it more of a draw for people to stay downtown, not just shop and leave.”
The market will again feature fresh fruits and vegetables along with specialty foods and other goods.
To create a more inviting atmosphere, HDA is looking for a few talented people to entertain the shoppers. Bauer said a puppet act is scheduled to entertain children, and added that the HDA is looking for volunteers and ideas for entertainment.
“We only need a few people,” she said. “A maximum group of five or six that would walk along the street strumming an instrument or just singing.”
The farmer’s market promotes local farmers, ranchers and other businesses. Last year, Mansmith’s Barbecue of San Juan Bautista sold its tri-tip and barbecued chicken sandwiches, but this year local rancher Joe Morris will sell his brand of grass-fed beef hamburgers with chips and a drink.
“We like to rotate the market participants so the others in the community get a chance to sell their food products,” Bauer said.
Another new feature will be a community booth for non-profit organizations to advertise their services. The booth will be available to groups on a weekly basis. To reserve the booth for a Wednesday or for more information, call the HDA at 636-8406.
