Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Farmers Market topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Tuscaloosa River Market says vendor demand, programming are expanding after statewide award
Summary
Alexis Clark, operations manager at the River Market, told the council the market won a People’s Choice award, supports dozens of vendors who pay city business licenses, and is adding Tuesday evening markets, music grants and SNAP-EBT incentives.
Alexis Clark, operations manager at the River Market, told the Tuscaloosa City Council’s pre-council that the market has been named the state’s No. 1 farmers market for three consecutive years and is expanding programming and vendor capacity.
Clark said the market has 68 vendor spots, with 40 vendors able to fit inside the riverside facility and 52 of those vendors holding city business licenses. "We are an economic engine for the city of Tuscaloosa," Clark said, noting that many vendors travel from other Alabama counties and that staff verify produce origins each spring.
The market is certified under the state Department of Agriculture and Industries’ Sweet Grown Alabama program, Clark said, and staff drive out to farms in May to confirm vendors are selling what they grow. Clark also described new and expanded programming: a Pop Kids Club every third Saturday, a two-bite challenge for children, and a fall and spring music series funded in part by a $5,200 grant that pays musicians $200 per performance.
Clark said the market received 105 applications for the 68 spots and will add Tuesday evening markets in June and July so organizers can use vendors on the wait list. "This is an opportunity to bring in some of those wait-listed vendors and still have a good fun evening out for our vendors, for our community," Clark said.
The market accepts SNAP EBT and participates in a program run through Auburn University that doubles SNAP purchases up to $40 per Saturday for fresh fruits and vegetables. Clark reported that the market partnered with Table of Grace last year and collected 6,378.85 pounds of food for distribution.
Clark thanked the council for ongoing support and highlighted city services that support market operations, including Tuscaloosa Police Department presence, parking, and on-site logistics. "We are a wealth of information for what people can do on Saturdays in Tuscaloosa other than football," she said.
