The Board of Selectmen on Tuesday approved the dates for the upcoming New Canaan Farmers Market downtown.
The Farmers Market will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays from April 26 to Dec. 20 in the Lumberyard Lot by the train station.
“I am constantly told how great it is,” Selectman Steve Karl said during the meeting, held at Town Hall and via videoconference. “You get over there and it’s like its own little microcosm. There are so many smiling faces and people having fun, and occasionally you have a performer there. It’s really a nice event.”
First Selectman Dionna Carlson, Karl and Selectman Amy Murphy Carroll voted 3-0 in favor of the request from market master Alexis Gazy.
Gazy, who has been running the Farmers Market for 26 years, said it started out with just seven vendors.
“We’re up to about 40 farmers, vendors, artisans and nonprofits,” she said. “I think last year we saw pre-COVID normal crowds, which was really nice.”
Gazy added that an organization comes around at the end of the market to collect extras.
“A lot of New Canaan residents volunteer to help them,” she said. “It’s a good connection. We like the relationship and I haven’t had any real complaints or issues or any situations.”
The Farmers Market moved from the Center School Lot to the Lumberyard five years ago.
“People take the train, they walk through town and there’s a lot of parking,” Gazy said, adding with a laugh: “Not as many horns as there used to be.”
Karl said the overall traffic flow is “much better” in the new location.
“Cars can get in and out of there,” he said. “You’ve got traffic coming up both ways on Elm Street getting in and out and it’s pretty rare to see a significant backup there.”
Karl added: “You have days where you probably get a little bit of backup up into, up to Stewart’s and that intersection there a little bit, but overall it’s pretty good.”
Gazy said the Farmers Market during the season that just ended featured a popular local band that entertained crowds.
“And the kids, it’s really fun to see the kids,” she said. “They dress up in their costumes—little superheroes, ballerinas. They bring their baskets to go shopping. It’s great.”