Farmers Market season starts Saturday in Wichita, and one will nearly double in size
April has arrived, and that means Farmers Market season has started in Wichita.
On Saturday, Wichita’s two main farmers markets — both the Old Town Farm & Art Market and the Kansas Grown Farmers Market that happens at the Sedgwick County Extension Center, 21st and Ridge — are marking the official start of their seasons. Kansas Grown is also launching the season for its market in Derby on Saturday.
Though both of Wichita’s big markets operated smaller versions over the winter this year, the spring and summer seasons produce the bulk of their business.
Here’s what both have planned for opening weekend and for their 2021 spring and summer seasons:
Old Town Farmer & Art Market
This downtown market will launch its 30th year with a big expansion. In addition to its usual footprint in Farm & Art Plaza, 835 E. First St., this year, organizers are adding vendors all the way down Rock Island between First and Second Streets.
The expansion, said market manager Luke Snow, will allow the market to nearly double the number of vendors each week — and give it room to grow into the future. Though the whole street likely won’t be filled on opening weekend, Snow said, he anticipates he’ll add more vendors every week.
The new space also has room for up to 10 food trucks, and Snow is inviting local food truck operators to set up each week. He hopes the new space will become a Saturday food truck destination and give the truckers a regular place to operate now that the downtown pop up park has closed.
In addition to fresh vegetables, the Old Town Farm & Market also features baked and dry goods, ready-to-eat foods and artisans. This year, attendees can expect to find even more art-driven booths, Snow said. There will also be live music, buskers and roaming performers.
The hours will be 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Saturday, and instead of ending the season in October, this year, the Old Town Market will continue outdoors through Dec. 18. Snow decided to extend the season last year, when COVID-19 made it unsafe to move the winter market indoors, and people loved it. Vendors sold holiday gifts, and people gathered around fire pits and sipped warm drinks while they shopped. It’s an addition he plans to continue, he said.
Several special markets will be put on through April, Snow said. The market on April 10 has been designated “Bring Your Dog to the Market Day,” and organizers will bring in dog trainers and offer games and enrichment activities for dogs.
April 17 is Gardening Day and will include special activities aimed at people who want to expand their backyard gardens. And the April 24 Earth Day market will be a large production with lots of special activities, Snow said.
“It’s looking like this is going to be a record year for the market,” he said. “It’s been 30 years, and it’s never been bigger. It looks like the number of vendors is going to break all our previous records.”
Kansas Grown Farmers Market
Across town, the Kansas Grown Farmers Market, which sets up Saturdays in the parking lot of the Sedgwick County Extension Center, 7001 W. 21st St., will also open on Saturday and will be celebrating the start of its 31st season.
The market has been offering smaller outdoor installments through March, said the market’s board president Tricia Holmes, but the number of vendors will start to pick up now that the weather is getting warmer.
Starting Saturday, the hours will be 7 a.m. to noon every Saturday until Oct. 30. The market will again feature longtime attractions like Troubles the Clown and live music, and it will also include food trucks. Holmes said that the market’s special theme days, which were downplayed last summer because of COVID-19, will be back this year. That includes the popular Tomato Fest (July 31) and Kids Day (June 12.)
Opening weekend, of course, won’t be overflowing with vegetables since growing season hasn’t started in earnest, but shoppers will start to see lettuces, asparagus and root vegetables. Other vendors will be selling meat, eggs, jellies, sauces, honey and artisan crafts.
Kansas Grown also plans to launch its Derby market, which sets up at 512 E. Madison, on Saturday. Its hours will be 8 a.m. to noon each week. Its other satellite market at Union Station should launch in mid May and will run from 4 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday evenings, Holmes said.
Despite the start of market season coinciding with the early days of the pandemic last year, Holmes said, the market still had a strong season. People felt more comfortable shopping outdoors and felt good patronizing local business people.
“In the middle of all the shutdowns, one thing people realized was the need to support local,” Holmes said. “I think there’s kind of a movement towards that, and that’s something we happen to provide.”
This story was originally published April 1, 2021 at 11:33 AM.
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