RACINE — Downtown Racine will soon have a Saturday farmers market along the lakefront, bringing new opportunities for local businesses and better food access for area residents.
Watch: Manager, vendor express optimism about new Racine Farmers Market
The market, which will take place on Saturdays at Festival Park, has generated excitement among nearby business owners like Alan Lozano, who owns The New Cafe just a few blocks from the market site.
"What are we doing with this beautiful area? We should just take advantage of that," Lozano said.
Lozano sees the market as a chance to increase foot traffic to his restaurant.
"This is going to create so much traffic for us," Lozano said. "It's just fantastic for not just my business, for the others."
He'll also be expanding his business by selling housemade salsa and tortilla chips as a vendor at the market.
"My head was ringing like, 'I gotta be there,'" Lozano said.
Dawn Carrillo, Racine Farmers Market manager, believes the Festival Park location could make this a destination market for the region.
"I've been to a lot of farmers markets around the state, around the country, and this might be the ultimate location," Carrillo said, in reference to the site's lakefront view, ADA-accessibility, parking availability, among other features.
Beyond the market's own offerings, it has the potential to benefit surrounding businesses and restaurants.
"It's the perfect scenario. We become a destination market where you will drive, and you'll park, and you can spend the day, but there's also all the other things that you can do in the city once you've parked. The museums, the library, and all the businesses," Carrillo said.
A recent national study conducted by UW-Madison researchers and the Farmers Market Coalition found nearly 49% of market attendees said they tend to shop at nearby stores on market days, and about 42% said they eat at local restaurants.
Kelly Kruse with Downtown Racine Corporation said, "The more we can program our downtown with a variety of events, the better."
The market will also address food access needs for area residents who don't have access to fresh food nearby. SNAP, WIC and all other foodshare programs will be available at the market.
"That's so important to me, and to other farmers market managers around the state, to provide that opportunity to get the best for their families," Carrillo said.
Vendor applications opened this month and are available online.
The market begins May 9th, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., and runs through October.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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