Businesses advised to apply for farmers markets

CEDAR RAPIDS - Downtown businesses, depending on their location, received one of two letters from Cedar Rapids Farmers' Market officials last week detailing information about this year's farmers markets.

Businesses inside the proposed footprint for the events that plan to be open were assured space will be left to allow customers access to their front doors.

Those businesses that want to set up a vendor's booth in the street out front were directed to complete an online application at ManageMyMarket.com and to send an email to events@cedarrapids.org by April 30.

Jenn Draper, events planner with the Cedar Rapids Farmers' Market, described the proposed footprint for this year's markets has having 'more of a Third Avenue focus” than last year's, due to construction along Fourth and Fifth avenues.

Business outside the footprint received a different letter informing them they, too, can apply for a booth and were urged to fill out the online application and email events staff.

Draper also encouraged interested business to read the handbook found at https://www.cedarrapids.org/application/files/7314/8355/1766/2017_Vendor_Handbook.pdf.

The city council must approve the proposed footprint for this year's markets.

Dates for 2017 will be June 3 and 7, July 1 and 15, Aug. 5 and 19, and Sept. 2 and 16, according to the farmers market website.

The annual Market After Dark, set for Aug. 26, will require a separate application and have a different footprint.