Featured image: Main Street Fort Payne Farmers Market will be open every Saturday from 9a.m.-1p.m. beginning June 4, and will be held through October 29

By Joseph M. Morgan

joseph@southerntorch.com

FORT PAYNE, Ala—The Fort Payne Main Street organization announced this week their intentions to establish a Farmer’s Market in downtown Fort Payne.

The market will be a collaborative effort between the city of Fort Payne and the Fort Payne Main Street organization. The Main Street Farmer’s Market will officially launch June 4, and will be held each Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. through Oct. 29 on Gault Avenue in a designated area that spans from Fort Payne City Park to office space that is home to Southern Properties.

Fort Payne Main Street Director Beverly Pike said a committee dedicated to establishing the new farmers market is in the process of finalizing the project details and is actively recruiting local artisans and farmers to become a part of the new market. Pike said the cost for farmers to rent a booth will be $10 per week.

“We are really excited to be kicking off our first market week next month, on Saturday June 4,” Pike said. “This is going to be great for downtown Fort Payne, and is sure to bring in lots of local growers and artisans, as well as happy shoppers. The weekly farmers market will help bring visitors and dollars to downtown and hopefully provide a boost in business for local restaurants, retailers and other businesses downtown.”

Local resident Andrew Hairston, a Fort Payne Main Street board member, is also part of the committee dedicated to developing the Farmer’s Market in Fort Payne. Hairston addressed the Fort Payne City Council on Tuesday to provide city officials with an update on the project and offer the details of the plan the committee has developed to ensure the market’s success.

“The Main Street Farmers Market will be a state-certified farmers market. The market will be open to any farmer in the state of Alabama,” Hairston said. “These markets are very popular and we know we could have something like the market in Chattanooga or Pepper Place in Birmingham.”

Hairston said that event coordinators hope to eventually operate the Farmers Market year round. Hairston said that state certification qualifies the market for federal and state grants and that the organization is already working to put themselves in a position to qualify for grant funding. Farmers interested in selling at the market should contact Main Street Director Beverly Pike at 256-996-2131.