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EDWARDSBURG — Edwardsburg residents can begin getting their canvas totes and reusable bags ready, as a new farmers market is coming to the area.

The Edwardsburg Sports Complex, 27566 U-12, Edwardsburg, will be launching a farmers market this summer. Starting June 20, the market will take place from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays. The market will run until Aug. 15. Though vendors will need to pay a fee to participate, the market will be free to attend for visitors and shoppers.

“It’s pretty quiet here at the Edwardsburg Sports Complex, but we are looking forward to better times when COVID-19 is behind us, and the sports complex will be filled with kids and their families again,” said Candace Green, ESC assistant manager. “We are anticipating having our first annual farmers market, which will give us something to look forward to during these tough times.”

Currently, ESC is seeking interested vendors to participate in the farmers market. For vendors, there is a $25 per week, or $190 per season, fee.

“We are looking for anyone who is interested,” Green said. “We are looking for bakers and crafters and artists and farmers, people who sell produce and more.”

All funds raised will go toward supporting ESC projects. Some of its current projects include building baseball, softball, basketball and pickleball courts.

“Once I started working at ESC, we sat down and discussed ways to get the word out about Edwardsburg Sports Complex and to raise money for different projects that we were anticipating. We thought a farmers market would be great for the area for the community,” Green said.

In addition to serving as a fundraiser for the sports complex, its leaders hope the market can serve the community. According to both Green and Patty Patzer, facility manager, ESC’s 102 acres of open space, complete with pavilions, make it the perfect place to host a farmer’s market.

“We think this provides a cool service to the community, which is something the complex wants to be known for,” Patzer said. “We want to be known as a gathering spot, a recreational facility that the community can appreciate and use. We would like to do concerts and farmers markets and outdoor drive-in theaters. There are other things besides sports that we would like to host at the complex.”

Though both Green and Patzer said there are still questions about summer events due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they are hopeful that by June, they will be able to host the farmers market, adding that there is plenty of space at ESC for people to maintain social distancing.

“With the way things have been with COVID-19, people haven’t been able to sell their items,” Green said. “This is an opportunity for those people to get their products out there and for the community to support those local businesses.”

Applications to be a vendor at the farmers market are needed by the end of the month. For more information, visit the ESC website at edwardsburgsportscomplex.org or email Green at candace.green@edwardsburgsportscomplex.org.

 

A previous version of this article incorrectly spelled the name of Candace Green. We regret the error and are happy to correct it.