There's a Market in the Park
Over the past 14 years, bright white tents have popped up on summer Saturdays in downtown’s Victory Park drawing visitors and locals to stop and explore. For the first three years it was the Local Market, which then gave way to the Farmer’s Markets over the following 11. This year, it gets another makeover as the Market in the Park.
Launched as the Local Market in 2008 and created and managed by volunteer Sandy Kish Jordan, it was a small but diverse market filled with fresh produce, meats, cheese bread, home-produced products and more that represented the homegrown movement that was gaining dedicated shoppers and supporters in the early 2000s. Weekend visitors and local food enthusiasts filled the market and shopped among the sounds of live music, enjoyed cooking demonstrations, a Zucchini 500 race for kids and more.
In 2011, the market became the Vermilion Farmers Market, still on Saturdays and now managed by the three Judys: Kernell, Klucas and Gutman. Chances are if you needed something and called out, “Judy!” one would be within earshot. The world of fresh local foods and regional farmers markets was growing and the makeup of the market changed with it to include local artisans and handcrafted goods. Each week upwards of 34 vendors would set up tables and sell produce, jams, jellies, eggs, honey and artisan and handcrafted items at the market.
The Ritter Public Library was an annual guest along with Canine Companions for Independence and the Touch-a-Truck event. Vettmillion, a car show for Corvette enthusiasts, was also a big boost for the Market.
The 2020 market, like everything else, was interrupted by COVID. Many of the local growers stopped producing for good, so as the market moves into 2021 it will have a new look with new managers and a new name. Market in the Park will be managed by Richard and Karen Kime, and Judy Kernell and a new mix of products including some local foods like honey, eggs, fresh cut flowers, jams, jellies and a wide variety of artisan crafted goods will define summer Saturdays.
Like any Main Street event, the goal of the Market in the Park is multi-faceted.
It creates community as different generations of people mix and mingle and ultimately brings people together.
As visitors travel in they also stop to fill up their tank or make a quick stop at a drug or grocery store. That is good for the local economy.
When people come for the market, planned or by chance, they extend their visit into the downtown and surrounding community, coming for breakfast, staying for lunch or a drink, and discovering the businesses around town, shopping at some, making plans to come back to others next time.
Better yet, they might find that Vermilion is a place they want to return to another day, or stay for a weekend or longer vacation or think about living here among friendly, welcoming people.
As the Market in the Park prepares to kick off a 9-week season beginning July 3rd weekend, the return to something familiar and enjoyable is something we’re all looking forward to and we hope to see you at the Market in the Park.
Richard & Karen Kime, Judy Kernell, Market in the Park Coordinators