Nineteen vendors set up tents on the lawn in front of the Pavilion at Wire Park in Watkinsville on Saturday as the Oconee Farmer’s Market kicked off its 22nd season.
Vendors offered fresh lettuce and other salad greens, arugula, radishes, mushrooms, spinach, cherry tomatoes, and herbs.
Also on offer were free range eggs, jams, and plants as well as skin care products, soaps, pottery, jewelry, and artistically fashioned gourds.
Market Manager Logan Kiser said he has received inquiries from other vendors based on the success of the Market and its new location, and he expects more vendors–and more tents–as the season progresses.
Kiser said he already is considering ways to expand the space used by the Market at Wire Park.
The Market is open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays.
Move To Wire Park
The Market began in 2004 in the space behind Eagle Tavern in downtown Watkinsville.
 |
| Vendor Gabriel Bueno 4/5/2025 |
As it expanded and outgrew that space, the vendors decided to move to the space across Main Street in front of the Courthouse.
That moved increased visibility, but the space becomes very hot as the summer progresses.
Two years ago, the vendors moved to Harris Shoals, which is shaded but less visible.
Kiser said the vendors had been interested in moving to Wire Park as soon as it opened and decided to make the move this year once it had secured the support of Wire Park managers.
The lawn at Wire Park is in full sun, but the grass won’t reflect the heat as much as the asphalt and cement at the Courthouse.
Visitor traffic about an hour after the Market opened at 9 a.m. on Saturday was steady, and the sound of musician Bill Long and those who joined him permeated the entrance to Wire Park.
Kiser said originally Long had considered setting up in the Pavilion but decided to set up his own tent on the lawn to be fully integrated into the Market.
No comments:
Post a Comment