By Natalie M. Zeigler
City Manager
From the time that the Cargill Way development opened up a new sector of downtown Hartsville development years ago, it served as the home of Hartsville’s own open-air weekend market event, the Good Living Marketplace. The Marketplace evolved over time, always serving as a hub of weekend activity in town and a gathering point for community organizations, but it always could be found on Cargill, a secondary street. Often it was said that this location was not best-suited for boosting foot traffic in the business core of downtown, the economic development strategy which more than almost anything else can transform a downtown for the better.
Next weekend, that location changes. On April 11 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., the newly minted Hartsville Farmers Market will arrive front and center on East Carolina Avenue. This is a project of downtown development organization Main Street Hartsville, the collaboration of the City of Hartsville and Community Foundation for a Better Hartsville which has operated the Marketplace for more than a year now. The event is shaping up to be one of the most exciting things now happening in a downtown that already hosts a frenzy of activity.
Aside from its new home on what would be Hartsville’s Main Street, if it had one by that name, the new Farmers Market will have another major change in its new format for vendor selection. It’s now a juried event, which means that rather than opening up spaces on a first-come, first-serve basis, its planners choose which interested participants receive spaces, aiming for the best possible mix of original, creative and marketable goods. This is where it gets really interesting, since the 40 spaces are almost completely filled with locally grown and organic produce, specialty meats, baked goods and hometown-sourced crafts, all coming together in greater numbers and diversity than ever before.
At the same time, community gathering has always been a vital part of what these markets have been about. Main Street Hartsville Executive Director Suzy Moyd, who has done a truly phenomenal job putting this event together, has worked hard to make this element a part of the market as well, bringing together live music, churches, groups like the Darlington County Humane Society, which I understand will be adopting out puppies, One Hartsville’s drum circles, and even the S.C. Farm Bureau’s Ag Simulator.
We have honestly grown more and more excited about this event as it has come together. This is only the initial re-launch of the event, however, and the Farmers Market will keep happening the second Saturday of every month, April to December. Its success depends not only on its leadership and its vendors, but also on the support of its community to keep it strong and growing. If you’re coming out next Saturday, you may see the new start of a showcase for some of the best things our City has to offer.
Natalie Zeigler is the City Manager of Hartsville. For more information, call City Hall at 843-383-3015 or email info2@hartsvillesc.gov.