The Downtown Jamestown Winter Market is looking to continue providing area residents with the fresh, locally grown produce that many have come to appreciate.
"The winter market has been received very well," said Tiffani Conti, DJDC projects coordinator. "Each week we have more and more people coming down to the Renaissance Center, and we've been able to alternate vendors throughout the season. There's always something new and we have a lot of unique things that could fulfill people's holiday gift ideas along with the weekly produce that many people were used to seeing during the summer."
Some of the new businesses that have set up shop during the winter market have included holiday crafters, homemade items and other local businesses.
This past summer was the first year that the farmer's market was held in the alley near the Renaissance Center. In past years, it had occupied the sidewalk on Third Street between Washington and Cherry streets.
"It was quite full this year," said Conti. "As of right now, it will stay in the same location. We have seen a lot of interest from some of the vendors in the winter market that are interested in continuing to set up during the summer, though."
According to Conti, the DJDC would be very happy if they could get a local winery to come to the market to set up. She also said that any unique, handmade, local products are appreciated and that some people have requested that the Amish come to the market with their goods, as well.
"Next summer everything should be relatively similar to the way it was this year," said Conti. "We're hoping to continue to get additional funding to promote it like we did this year, and hopefully we'll have Univera back as a sponsor since they were so wonderful to work with. The only notable changes for the coming year will be the improvement as far as our marketing is concerned and hopefully having some new, unique vendors."
For more information regarding the Downtown Jamestown Winter Market, the DJDC can be reached at 664-2477 or the event calendar can be found at www.discoverjamestown.com. The winter market will continue to run every Thursday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. during the month of January in the Lillian Vitanza Ney Renaissance Center.