The 2015 Wrightsville Beach Farmers’ Market might have a later season, more craft vendors and bottled water available for purchase. During the Wrightsville Beach Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee’s Dec. 1 meeting, those were the three changes the committee agreed to bring to the board of aldermen for approval.
Parks and recreation program supervisor Katie Ryan said she reached out via email to the 2014 vendors seeking suggestions about improving the farmers’ market. She received eight responses.
Ryan said certain produce vendors are not able to harvest enough goods to sell until the beginning of June. And although Davis Seafood and Sea Love Sea Salt aren’t restricted by a growing season, she said they too expressed support for a later farmers’ market season because the first few weeks are typically not very crowded.
Committee members referenced the Poplar Grove Farmers’ Market, which they said includes many produce vendors that successfully grow and sell goods through September.
The committee decided to recommend the board of aldermen change the dates of the 2015 farmers’ market to May 18 through September 28.
Next year’s market might also offer more crafts. The number of craft vendors has previously been limited to five, Ryan said, because town leaders did not want the market to become a craft show.
Committee members said allowing additional craft merchants would draw more costumers to the market, which would mean more business for all vendors.
“The craft vendors are going to make it look always busy, like there’s something going on,” Ryan pointed out.
The committee decided to ask the aldermen to increase the number of craft vendors to 10, with flexibility to reduce that number should the market take on the appearance of a craft show.
The last change the committee discussed was allowing bottled water to be sold for $1 or less, which has previously been prohibited unless the water was bottled in North Carolina.
“It’s so hot, and vendors are giving out samples,” Ryan said, explaining why costumers were thirsty.
Ryan will recommend the three changes to the aldermen during the board’s Dec. 11 meeting.
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