The Midtown Farmers Market was founded by the Corcoran Neighborhood Organization in 2003 with the help of many community partners and volunteers from the surrounding neighborhoods. Today’s open-air farmers market is the result of their vision to create a public marketplace at the transportation hub created by the Hiawatha light rail station at Lake Street/Midtown. (We are currently hosting the market at Moon Palace Books located at 2820 E. 33rd St, Mpls) Each year over 55,000 people visit the market. In 2006, it was the first Minnesota farmers market to accept SNAP-EBT.
Visit the website of Midtown Farmers Market to learn more.
Midtown Farmers Market Advisory Committee
The purpose of the Advisory Committee of the Midtown Farmers Market is to support market staff in identified areas of need including fundraising, communications, operations, outreach and partnerships, and on-site support. Meetings will occur on the 3rd Wednesday of each month, at the CNO office (3451 Cedar Ave S).
Who can participate? Membership is open to all individuals. A member recruitment group will be formed in July of each year consisting of current committee members to identify and recruit for new members with skills and experience needed in the group.
Current Priorities of the Midtown Farmers Market: (adopted by CNO Board on 3/12/15)
-
Communications – Develop and implement a communications plan and strategies for communicating with customers, vendors and community members regarding the interim market site.
-
Outreach and Partnerships – Update existing sponsorship and volunteer recruitment guidelines, tools and strategies in order to better engage and attract financial supporters, community partner and volunteers.
-
Operations – Recruit vendors according to needs of the market as stated by the Market Manager, develop vendor engagement strategy and vendor market evaluations.
-
Fundraising – Work with and support the Market Manager in all fundraising activities including: annual fundraiser and Rail Station event, spring mailing, Carrot Box and #FeedtheCarrot, Give to the Max Day and individual donations.
For more information and questions about the committee, contact Alicia D. Smith at info@corcoranneighborhood.org or 612-724-7457. The Committee Chair from the CNO Board of Directors is Mike Novak.