Republic file photo Dandelion jelly for sale is shown at the Good Seed Garden booth at last year’s Columbus Farmers Market.
The Columbus Farmers Market, purposely downsized in summer 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, returned last year with more than 50 vendors most Saturdays and a weekly attendance of about 1,500 people.
And organizers hope that the seeds have been planted for an even stronger showing this spring and summer when the market returns rain or shine — and no masks required — on May 7 along First Street behind Columbus City Hall.
Jacob Hendricks of Columbus Parks and Recreation that oversees the market acknowledged that that attendance number indicates a strong and healthy comeback from perhaps 400 per week in 2020 in a smaller layout.
“The numbers really are now looking like those that we had in 2018 and 2019,” Hendricks said.
He figures that the eventual completion this year of the 1821 Trail in the area will add to foot traffic on Saturdays. Hendricks pointed out that organizers aren’t particularly looking to feature perhaps 90 vendors per week as the market sometimes did in mid-summer seven or eight years ago at the former, larger Brown Street location.
“A lot of people automatically think that the more vendors you have, the more shoppers that you attract,” Hendricks said. “But from what we have seen with our numbers, it’s almost the opposite.
“The more shoppers that you have, the more vendors it eventually attracts. In the past, a dip in shoppers led to a dip in vendors. So, this year, we’re hoping that we continue to see an increase in shoppers, which can then translate to an increase in vendors.”
The market, which often offers the festive feel of a casual street fair, considering its food aroma and live music elements, also has been a way in the spring for people to see friends they missed during the winter.
Musician Jon Shoulders, who performs acoustic cover tunes, will provide entertainment on opening day, followed by local, veteran bluegrass performer Lynn Martin on May 14. The market runs from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. each Saturday through Sept. 17.
Organizers said this year’s market probably will open with similar items as last year — food such as fresh beef from farmers, flowers, jewelry, photography and other arts. Market coordinator Teresa Fischer acknowledged that she has high hopes for this year’s get-togethers based on last year’s uptick.
“Last year, it was good to see that everything stepped up really well,” Fischer said. “I’m hoping that everyone will continue to return to see us.”
Dan Fleming, co-owner with wife Lynne of Fleming’s Family Beef, said last year was a steady one as a vendor, since he figures some of his customers were concerned about some beef they found elsewhere because of the pandemic and its risks amid larger operations across the country.
“I’m looking for even a bigger showing of people attending,” Fleming said of the coming weekends. “But right now, we’ve got another monkey wrench in the gear because of inflation, and the fact that housing has gone up, rent has gone up, and apparently people have less disposable income than before, from what I’m hearing.
“And we’re slightly higher-priced than what people might get in most grocery stores.”
Diane Armand, co-owner of Armand’s Harper Valley Farms in Westport, hopes to have brown eggs, asparagus, mint plants, perennials and more come opening day. She wishes she had done a little better at last year’s market, but the weather had other ideas — especially with their initial batch of tomatoes.
“Unfortunately,” she said, “we didn’t have much produce until after the market closed.”
