Main Street Portage - Farmers Market

The Vendors showed a very large preference for the Commerce Plaza location. Customers in large part also thought the Plaza location was better. Again, reasons mentioned in favor of the Plaza were the high visibility and the ambiance of the Plaza created by flowers, trees, and the permanent washrooms with hand washing facilities. Several vendors also stated that they had their best years ever in Portage the last 2 years at the Plaza.
Just an informational point is that WIDOT traffic counts show the Plaza location enjoys double the vehicular traffic count over the Market Square location. Over 13,000 vehicles each day pass by the Plaza!

YOU ALL DESERVE ANOTHER BIG THANKYOU!
THANKS to all of YOU who contributed to making the 2009 Portage Farmers Market another HUGE success! The location at Commerce Plaza took some getting used to for all of us, but the vendors the customers and management all worked quite well together.

EVEN BETTER YEAR AHEAD?
There is a bigger than ever push in Wisconsin and nationwide to buy local and buy fresh. More and more news articles appear in the newspapers and magazines that recommended healthy eating suggestions for the same reasons. People want to support their local economy and buy homegrown and homemade products. There is no better place to do this than at their local Farmers’ Market.
The Portage area demographics indicate that we have great potential to attract even more patrons to our market as long as we continue to offer better products at reasonable prices and advertise what we offer.

VENDOR SPACES
Remember, spaces are limited as we have cut down the total number of spaces available. First preference for the spaces will be given first to those who had reserved spaces last year. This will be based on the order in which we receive the registration forms in the mail at: PO BOX 366, Portage, WI 53901. The postmark date and time on the returned envelope, or the email date and time or recorded date and time if dropped off at the BID/Main Street Office in the Mercantile located at 117 W. Cook St. Portage. (You mark drop off date & time on the envelope, if you prefer to drop off vs. mail)

MORE ADVERTISING
Again, we intend to follow up on vendors’ suggestions that we advertise more on the north side with banners, signs, etc. We also plan to advertise the Plaza site more heavily downtown near the site and… we plan to have more activities during market time!

Season fee, 26 weeks, May-October $85.00 = $3.27/week
Monthly fee $18.00 = $4.19/week
Weekly fee $6.00 = $6.00/week

Note: The season fee of $85.00 is a great bargain. You get a prime reserved space at the lowest rate.

You would have to pay $4.19(the monthly breakdown/week) for 20 plus weeks to get near the new annual rate of $85.00 with no guaranteed space. The monthly rate at $18.00 is much better than the weekly rate as 4.3 weeks/month at $6.00 = $25.80/month. We do not assign spaces to monthly or weekly pay vendors. We should have space for monthly and weekly vendors but not a reserved space. We had spaces for everyone last year. Whichever you choose, all fees collected go toward making the Portage Farmers Market better and better.

I’ll be managing the Market again this year and I’m looking forward to seeing all of you soon. Gil’s phone numbers are:
(608)742-5054 home
(608)334-4207 cell

We have enclosed a registration form and guidelines for your use. You can keep the Gazette and Guidelines and must only return pages numbered 5 through 8. You may mail your registration form, email it or bring it with you when you come to the market.
Please make checks payable to: Portage BID Farmers Market

NOTE: Return only the registration forms (pages 5 through 8) with your check to: (We would suggest that you make a photo copy of pages 5-8).

Portage BID Farmers Market
PO BOX 336
Portage, WI 53901

See you at the Market and have another GREAT YEAR,

Gil Meisgeier
Market Manager