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Residents will be getting one more monthly opportunity to stock up on locally sourced, fresh and homemade goods.
Elgin City Council recently amended their agreement with the Elgin Farmers’ Market, approving a new Sunday Brunch Market initiative.
“There’s been different reiterations of the farmers’ market, and part of the reason the other situations didn’t always work out is because we didn’t have the kind of working relationship, mutually respectful relationship, between the market and the staff,” said City Manager Thomas Mattis. “But this group we have now is really easy for us to work with, and vice versa, that’s one of the reasons it’s been a great success.”
Throughout 2023, the collective bazaar at Veterans Memorial Park kept over $126,000 within the local community, according to a market representative that spoke during a recent council meeting. Total sales for all of the vendors increased by about $10,000 from 2022, selling everything from handcrafted figurines to farmraised produce. Around 18% of market vendor income was also put back into the community through the hiring of local musicians, a big draw for the weekly gatherings, according to the speaker.
The event has continued to be held on Thursday’s because most participating vendors spend their weekends at the larger markets in cities like Austin or Taylor.
However, there is a large part of the community that isn’t able to make it on Thursday evenings, and event organizers stated that a monthly Sunday Brunch Market would not only provide easier access to local goods, but continue to supplement downtown businesses.
The proposed brunch markets would coincide with existing Main Street events, like the upcoming Vintage Fair, scheduled for March 10, and boost the flow of foot traffic in downtown Elgin.
Most stores open around noon on Sundays, so market organizers plan to start selling goods at 11 a.m.
The added day also provides more opportunity for residents to utilize their state issued Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program cards, recently accepted at the market. Participants get a free dollar for every dollar they spend, up to a limit of $30.
“We’re very grateful for the support we’ve had from the city, not just sort of the official, but the community as a whole has been wonderful,” added the representative.
More information about SNAP cards can be found at https://www.hhs.texas.gov/services/financial/lone-star-card.
