Bakers, brewers and farmers alike will soon be visiting UVM regularly.
The Burlington Winter Farmers Market is coming to the Davis Center for 12 Saturdays Nov. 12 through April 8 in the Olin Atrium.
The market was previously held in the Memorial Auditorium on Main Street, which is now under renovation.
“The auditorium was great for the market but really not much else,” Sara Jean Wheland, a farmers market employee, said. “We figured the [Davis Center] was a great central location, it’ll accommodate all of the vendors and hopefully draw some new crowds.”
Market Management is unsure how long the market will be in the DC, but said it will probably be there for the next few years.
“We’ll see how the [auditorium] renovations go,” Wheland said.
In order to accommodate community members who wish to drive to the farmer’s market, there will now be free parking on campus those Saturdays.
“We are putting together campus maps right now and highlighting the closest spots to the DC,” Event Services Coordinator Maureen Cartier said.
“There will be multiple lots open including [Jefferson Hall,] [Marsh Austin Tupper,] and [Gutterson Arena],” she said.
Joel English of Hall Home Place iced and hard cider has been coming to the Winter Market for five years and is excited about the switch.
“The new venue will be warmer; there will be more parking,” English said. “It’s hitting the right demographic for me; young people tend to like the hard cider.”
Another vendor said he will miss the auditorium.
“It’s sad to be moving, but we don’t have a choice… but maybe we’ll get some more customers. [Students might like] my honey hot chocolate for winter,” Pedro Sala of Bee Happy Vermont said.
Students said they are enthusiastic about the prospect of having the market so close.
“I’ve only been once so it would be great not to have to take a bus down,” first-year Jackie Kho said.
Both Market Management and Cartier expressed excitement about the potential of greater student participation in the market.
A marketing plan aimed at students is in the works right now, Cartier said. At a later date flyers will be distributed around campus to inform students.
“It’ll be cool for college students to have access to really good food right in the Davis Center,” first-year Jean MacBride said.
Vendors will set up in the atrium itself and down the hallways leading to the Main Street tunnel and the Cynic/WRUV offices, Cartier said.
DC Event Services uses a computer program that maps out events to scale and has determined that the first floor will be able to fit all the currently participating vendors.
The market hasn’t lost any vendors with the move, according to Wheland.
The Winter Farmer’s Market will be held Nov. 12 and 18, Dec. 3, 10 and 17, Jan. 14 and 28, Feb. 11 and 25, March 11 and 25 and April 8.
