With 34 registered vendors, the Wrightsville Beach Farmers Market recently reached a record high for participation.
“That’s the biggest it’s ever been,” said Katie Ryan, the Wrightsville Beach Parks and Recreation Department program supervisor, during a meeting on Monday, Aug. 3. “Fortunately, we haven’t had all of these there at once because it would be very crowded. The most we’ve ever had at one time is 28, and that’s a lot.”
Six new vendors have joined the market mid-season. The market is located next to Wrightsville Beach Town Hall and is open on Mondays from 8 a.m to 1 p.m.
Among the newcomers is Dog Haus Treats.
“They do frozen treats with chicken and beef chips. She has just sent in her application and hopes to start before the end of the market,” Ryan said. “The market changes every week.”
The Juice Box, a Wilmington-based business selling organic fruit and vegetable juices, also joined the market this summer.
Another food vendor, Aunt Cake’s Cookies, joined the market on Monday, Aug. 3. Baker Kate Costella said she named her business in 2007, after her young niece, who could not say Kate, started calling her Aunt Cake.
Costella’s table will be filled with her homemade French bread, jam, pound cake, cookies, coffee cakes and muffins.
Under the same tent, Costella’s husband — Italy native Antonio Carlo — will sell his marinara sauce and tomato pies.
“The pies taste like pizza without the marinara sauce,” Ryan said.
Ryan also mentioned the revenue the farmers market is generating. Each market vendor pays a one-time $25 application fee, a $50 annual participation fee, and a $60 monthly or $20 daily participation fee.
“The farmers market is bringing in a lot of money this year,” she said.
The market season will continue until Sept. 28.
In other parks and recreation news, Ryan said the department is planning a new stationary bike exercise program.
“We had a donation of 12 spin bikes from Momentum Cycle on Racine. They closed their shop so they donated bikes to us so we could offer spin classes,” she said.
The classes will take place in the North Carolina Holiday Flotilla trailer beside Wrightsville Beach Town Hall.
Ryan said an engineer recently approved the building for the classes.
“We have to have two walls removed to accommodate all the bikes,” she said.
Ryan brainstormed other upcoming exercise programs, as well.
“We’ve had a request from some of the local moms to add flag football for youth,” she said. “We’re talking about doing something in the spring.”
Ryan brought up the idea of hosting a 10K running race in Wrightsville Beach.
“There aren’t many 10Ks around here,” she said.
Ryan wants to host the race in February to attract people to the island during the offseason and to allow runners to use the race to train for the Quintiles Marathon and Half Marathon held in Wilmington in March.
“My goal would be to raise $20,000,” she said.
Ryan said the race would help fund events such as concerts in Wrightsville Beach Park.
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