By Megan Wehring
DRIPPING SPRINGS – The city of Dripping Springs is looking at expanding its farmers’ market to be offered on Saturdays.
The Farmers’ Market Committee has agreed to a trial run of a Saturday morning farmers market from 9 a.m. to noon beginning Nov. 5 and lasting through December – this is in response to requests from the Dripping Springs City Council, Parks and Recreation Commission, customers and vendors. The city council approved the expansion of the market at its Oct. 4 meeting.
“The demand is out there and the committee has taken it under consideration at their last meeting,” said Charlie Reed, farmers market manager, “and agreed to give it a trial run. It should align with the last phase of our busiest time of the year. We hope to have it at the Triangle where we started last year, starting with a smaller number of vendors than we currently have – that will give them visibility and raise awareness of a Saturday market.”
This would be in addition to the current market on Wednesdays. For the pilot program, the market will be held at Veterans Memorial Park on dates not currently reserved for other activities and the proposed vendor fee is $30.
About 10 of the current vendors are interested in participating in the Saturday markets. Because the holiday season is approaching, Reed is hopeful that they will be able to recruit additional vendors.
“Ten of them have expressed interest,” Reed said. “There are a lot of vendors that are local to Dripping Springs that don’t want to do the travel to Austin. We have a month now to solicit new vendors and to accept applications.”
Reed added that once the market hits the slower season, in January and February, his team will assess and look at the potential of increasing the Saturday markets moving forward.
