Pittsfield Bringing Farmer's Market To Downtown
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Director of Cultural Development Megan Whilden and Mayor Daniel Bianchi announced the return of farmer's markets at a press conference on Tuesday. |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Farmer's Markets are coming back to the city's downtown.
The Downtown Pittsfield Farmer's Market, a collaboration of the city with nonprofits Alchemy Initiative and Downtown Pittsfield Inc., will be feature fresh foods from at least 20 vendors every Saturday morning from May 11 to Oct 26.
"It's much bigger than just a market, we envision it really being a community hub," said Alchemy's Jessica Conzo at a press conference at Beacon Cinema Tuesday. "We want this to be a destination."
With the support of a network of coordinators and $10,000 in seed money from the city, organizers hope to make the new market bigger and more sustainable than previous attempts in recent years.
"Currently there are no farmer's markets in Pittsfield, and Pittsfield is the largest community in the Berkshires," said Conzo, who has been contracted to manage the market operations. "Our goal is to provide our community to fresh, local and affordable food."
Access was one factor in the decision to locate the event in a central parking lot on First Street, opposite the Common, which is entering its second phase of renovations. Part of the newly state designated Upstreet Cultural District, it also abuts the Morningside neighborhood, the city's most densely populated residential area.
Supporting Conzo in sustaining the market will be a twelve person steering committee that has formed over the last three months, broken down into a network of subcommittees for marketing, fundraising, community outreach, vendors, as well as one for special events and performers.
"It's not just about farmers," said Pamela Tobin, Executive Director of Downtown Inc "We're looking at creating a real big event- a market like Pittsfield has never seen before."
Mayor Daniel Bianchi praised the new initiative and see it quickly growing. Additional grant funding is in the works, but organizers hope that after the initial launch vendors fees will sustain the ongoing project.
"You read an awful lot about economic development, and what gets communities going," Bianchi remarked, "The top performing communities always have a well functioning farmer's market."
Bianchi called the market "a great complement" to other agricultural initiatives that have been a priority in his administration, including installing community gardens at local schools beginning with Conte Elementary School this summer.
Vendors already signed for this summer hail from the Berkshires and surrounding communities within 100 miles, including Berkshire Mountain Bakery, Bug Hill Farm, Holiday Brook Farm, Climbing Tree Farm, Hilltop Orchards, Green Meads Farm, Windy Ridge Farm, Dutch Desserts, Elmartin Farm, Hosta Hill, Row by Row Farm, Wildstone Farm, For the Love of Pie, as well as a half dozen artisan vendors.
Conzo said they have also begun the process of applying to be able to accept SNAP assistance benefits, but cannot guarantee when or whether the market will be able to offer this option. The market will also feature cooking demonstrations, educational programming and a community booth where other organizations can share information about what they're doing to assembled crowds.
"There will be so much more going on," she said, "We'll have live music and dance and performance, activities, giveaways... It will be a really fun place for you to come, to walk to, to bring your family to, and hopefully down the road be able to picnic across the street at the rebuilt Common."
