ROGERS -- As the downtown farmers market returns this spring, organizers hope to continue the community event year-round.
The Rogers Local Food Market will open for its 2023 season May 6 at Frisco Plaza at Railyard Park. It will take place each Saturday from May through October.
In November, the market may move indoors, according to market manager Shelly Smith. The plan is to hold an indoor market -- roughly half the size of the current outdoor market -- downtown during the late fall and winter months. Market organizers haven't yet signed a contract for a location, but they do have a building in mind, Smith said.
The market features a variety of vendors, including local farmers, bakers and artisans. About 60% of last year's vendors were food vendors, and the market is looking to increase that number, Smith said.
"The more food is present, the more successful it is," she said. "We'd love to see the vast majority be farmers and food creators."
There's a need for more farmers as Northwest Arkansas grows, and many local markets are looking to provide a place for farmers to find customers, she said. The Rogers Local Food Market wants to be the "test kitchen" for small and starting businesses, especially food businesses using locally grown ingredients, she said.
Farmers markets in Bentonville and Fayetteville have indoor markets during the winter. The winter market in downtown Rogers is currently planned to consist solely of food vendors, she said.
The 2022 season saw $157,229 in total sales at the Rogers market, a 10% increase of sales from the year before, according to Smith. Some returning vendors saw increases of about 30-60%, she said. Farmers markets have to recruit customers and earn their trust, and vendors who participate long-term tend to see more success over time, she said.
The 2022 season also saw transactions double to a total of 398 related to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children and the Seniors Farmers' Market Nutrition Program. Those transactions represent $2,553 in benefits spent at the market throughout the season.
Last year's success is attributable in part to the attractiveness of events in the downtown area, she said. The city's investment through the funding of a dedicated market manager has helped as well, she said. The city's arts and culture division first contracted with Smith to operate the downtown market in 2022.
The City Council approved a one-year contract of $45,000 for planning and promoting services on March 14, an extension of last year's agreement, according to Justin Pounds, events coordinator with the city. The partnership has worked well so far, he said.
"It's been terrific. We really, really enjoyed working with Shelly. She's done a great job establishing a new brand for the market and bringing up the level of professionalism to something that the city's really proud to have on board," he said.
John McCurdy, director of community development, also said last week city staff are happy with the progress indicated by the market's 2022 sales numbers.
The market is accepting vendor applications. It will also host a conference April 5 at Victory Theater designed to help businesses interested in vending at farmers markets. For more information, visit rogerslocalfoodmarket.com.