Winter Garden authorizes $5 weekly amenity fee for downtown farmers market starting March 7, 2026

The Winter Garden City Commission unanimously approved an amendment to the farmers market license that allows Red Top Productions Inc. to charge a $5 weekly amenity fee for each 10x10 vendor space, city staff said.

"In this agreement, the city does not charge a fee to Red Top Productions for the operation of the farmers market," a staff presenter said, adding that the amendment would allow a $5 amenity fee assessed by Red Top and paid by each vendor for each weekly market participation. Staff stated the fee would take effect on March 7, 2026, and said nearly 100 vendors participate in the market and that vendors typically pay about $40 for a 10x10 space.

During discussion a commissioner asked how many vendors attend; staff replied "nearly a 100." Chair and other commissioners moved and seconded the recommendation and the motion carried unanimously.

Staff characterized the fee as a modest amenity charge to help offset operations and maintenance of the downtown pavilion and restroom facilities. The transcript includes a staff estimate that raising the per‑vendor charge from about $40 to about $45 would produce revenue, but the meeting record also contains a numeric figure that appears inconsistent with the other numbers discussed. Based on the figures stated in the presentation, a $5 increase applied to roughly 100 vendors on a weekly market (100 vendors × $5 × 52 weeks) would yield approximately $26,000 annually; the staff comment in the meeting that the change “So that'll give us $2,527,000 dollars a year” appears to be a misstatement or arithmetic error in the spoken record.

The commission did not record specific conditions for vendor hardship or exemptions during the discussion; staff said they would be happy to answer questions and that the change had been recommended to offset operating costs.