Soccer games keeping you from making the Saturday farmers market?
A Thursday night farmers market on Hartz Avenue is being seriously explored by the town of Danville.
The plan, which is still being researched, is to have a Thursday night farmers market in addition to the Saturday market. The Thursday night market would also be run by the Pacific Coast Farmers’ Market Association.
At a special meeting May 19, Chamber of Commerce members and the town of Danville mentioned possibly having the market between Church Street and Prospect Street, from 4-8 p.m.
The town will be meeting with the Danville Police Department and the transportation department to figure out the area with the least impact on traffic, said Councilwoman Candace Anderson.
“A year ago last January, we were talking about hosting more events to get people into the downtown so they would shop and dine on a Thursday night,” said Anderson. “Thursday is a night when people aren’t overly scheduled. It’s a nice night for families to get together.”
The council is now focusing on the impact a farmers market on Hartz Avenue would have on downtown businesses and if it would impede the flow of traffic. The council is also looking at whether a Thursday market would hurt the Saturday market, said Anderson.
Mayor Mike Doyle, Bonnie Gutman, associate planner and economic development coordinator for the town, and Melony Newman, President/CEO of the Chamber of Commerce, asked Hartz Avenue business owners how they feel about a Thursday farmers market.
Doyle, Gutman and Newman reported back that most business owners were enthusiastic about the idea. The hope, they said, is that business owners see this additional farmers market as an opportunity. If the market is approved, they will encourage businesses to stay open on Thursday nights, they said at the special meeting.
There has been some opposition to the idea. Some business owners feel that a farmers market on Hartz Avenue will block traffic to their business, said Doyle at the meeting.
The town was hoping to do a test run in August, but due to the “Hot Summer Nights” car show, it would most probably start in September. The town would do a test run and then get feedback from business owners. The council is enthusiastic about the prospect of a Thursday night farmers market, said Anderson.
“It draws people. It draws a different element than our car show,” said Anderson. She added that a test run would show downtown business owners the difference in who attends.
The idea is still being researched. Once the appropriate amount of feedback is collected, the Town Council should vote on it immediately, said Anderson. It could be decided on as early as June or July.
