Statesboro Main Street Farmers Market launches its seasonal, in-person Saturday markets this Saturday, 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. with 64 vendors signed up for spaces at the facility now called the Market at Visit Statesboro, 222 South Main St.
This will be the third year the market has operated in and around the building redesigned especially for it, with a high metal roof, big ceiling fans, glassed roll-up doors, catering kitchen and stage loft, directly behind the Visitors Center. For last season, the wooden footbridge and walkway connecting the facility to Willie McTell Trail was completed.
Last season’s launch in April 2023 brought a record opening day, when an estimated 2,400 shoppers attended the market. They spent a reported $35,604 with member vendors for produce, prepared foods and art and craft items. That was roughly a $10,000 increase from opening day 2022, notes Becky Sanders, president and CEO of the Statesboro Convention and Visitors Bureau, also known as Visit Statesboro.
Organizers and vendors are hoping for another big opening day on April 6, 2024.
“We’re excited to welcome new vendors and new shoppers to our third year at the Market at Visit Statesboro,” Sanders said.
Four days before Saturday’s launch, the 64 vendors signed up included 14 farmers, 20 prepared food vendors, 26 artisans and four educational exhibitors.
To name a few, the farms represented will not only include vegetable growers such as Jacobs Produce and Poor Robin Gardens, both from Screven County, but also at least one grower of fresh flowers, WilMor Farms, based in Candler County. Meat producers signed up now include Westwood Angus Beef, as well as perennial participant Hunter Cattle Company, both based here in Bulloch County, and possibly others.
Scratch Made Catering, shaved-ice treats purveyor Boro Sno and Three Tree Coffee Roasters are three easily recognizable examples of local prepared food vendors planning to be there.
Among the artisans offering things they make are PittyPat Candles and Exquisite Lee Designed. Founded by Susan Lee, the latter company makes laser-engraved items in a variety of materials.
“Education” exhibitors tend to be nonprofit organizations. One example is the Kiwanis Club of Statesboro, now promoting the annual Statesboro Kiwanis Rodeo, to be held April 25, 26 and 27 at the Bulloch County Agricultural Complex.
As people who shopped in the Market at Visit Statesboro during the 2022 and 2023 seasons know, the Visitors Center has a limited number of parking spaces. But parking is also available, Sanders points out, at cooperating nearby locations including the Statesboro-Bulloch County Library, Southern Palace Chinese Restaurant, Personal Finance Service of Statesboro and Queensborough National Bank & Trust. Willie McTell Trail provides walking and bicycling access from the heart of downtown in one direction and the Georgia Southern campus in the other.
“And we are so grateful for the help of our community partners,” she said.
Willow Farmer continues as the manager of the Saturday markets. With the market building providing more weather protection than past years’ parking lot venues, these markets are expected to continue for 34 Saturdays, until Nov. 23, followed by Shopping by Lantern Light on Tuesday, Nov. 26, the traditional, evening holiday market before Thanksgiving.
Statesboro Main Street Farmers Market also hosts the year-round Market2Go, managed by Michele Giddens, with Friday to Tuesday online ordering for Thursday pickup hours now available at locations in Pembroke and Sylvania as well as on the grounds of the Market at Visit Statesboro. For more info, see https://statesboromarket2go.locallygrown.net or www.visitstatesboro.org/farmers-market.