Oak Forest Farmers Market to Move Day and Venue in 2014

The organizers for the Oak Forest Farmers Market meant what they said when they talked about making changes in hopes of improving the seasonal event, which will end its third year in October.

The same day Patch asked readers to offer suggestions on how the market could attract more customers and vendors representatives from the Oak Forest Park District met with city officials to discuss that very thing, said Joe Conway, a park district commissioner who also has been the leading driver behind the market.

That impromptu group came to some of the same conclusions that readers did concerning the biggest improvements that could be made to the market: Change when and where it's held.

READ: How Can Oak Forest's Farmers Market Become a Can't-Miss Event?

With that in mind, next year's farmers market is moving to the Oak Forest Metra station, and it will be held on Saturdays, Conway said. Currently, the market is held in the park district parking lot along Central Avenue, and it runs from 3 to 7 p.m. Tuesdays.

The new venue at 159th Street and Cicero Avenue will hopefully be more attractive to customers and vendors, thanks to its higher visibility, ample weekend parking, bathroom facilities and electrical outlets, Conway said.

Although the new weekend date will make it a challenge to attract new vendors who might already be committed to other farmers market, the change to Saturday should attract more customers who find the weekday evening hours inconvenient, he added.

The market also will be partnering with Oak Forest's Community Development Department to generate marketing and word of mouth for the event, trying to attract customers not just from the city but also neighboring communities, Conway said.

READ: Check Out Conway's Full Letter About Improving the Farmers Market

"This isn't just a park district event. It is a community event," Conway said. "We knew we needed some assistance from [the city]. … I'm pretty civic-minded, and I think working together makes a lot of sense."

Additionally, market management will fall under a newly formed committee that will be overseen and supported by Kirstin Bardusk, the district rec supervisor who currently heads up the event, Conway said. The committee will be made up of residents with advertising and marketing experience who can help put together a calendar of events, attend city meetings and are willing to be a presence at the market, he added.

"Our goal is to get [the committee] up and running as soon as possible," Conway said.

Eventually, the market could become a place for live entertainment, kids activities and even niché attractions, such as biking and craft beer events, Conway. But that will take time, he cautions, and the market's first priority will be to secure more sellers who deal in perishables, such as fruits and vegetables.

READ: Check Out Patch's Coverage of the Changing Face of Oak Forest's Farmers Market

"Be patient with us," Conway said. "One of the things is we're going to have to attract these vendors who might be committed to other places. If we have high foot traffic, word will spread. … [Vendors] need foot traffic."

"When the foot traffic dropped off, the first people to go were the food vendors," he added. "We need to bring the cheese people back. We need to bring the beef jerky people back. It's not bad to have the crafters, but we need to have more food people.

If you're interested in joining Oak Forest's farmers market committee, contact Kirstin Bardusk at kbardusk@oakforestparks.org by Friday, Sept. 27.

YOUR TURN: What do you think of the changes to the Oak Forest Farmers Market for next year? Share your thoughts in the comments section.