GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV) – A soggy start didn’t dampen the excitement around day one of the Wednesday night Farmers’ Market on Broadway series in Green Bay.
“I was going to be here regardless, I asked my friend to come,” said Sophia Zerillo from Green Bay. “At first she said yes, but then she said no, but I was like YOLO (‘you only live once’), I’m going either way.”
Zerillo said she comes out to the farmers market frequently, and the one in Green Bay is the only one she visits because she says it’s the best. This is the event’s 22nd year.
She said the crowd was smaller than usual because of the gloomy weather on Wednesday night.
“Normally, it’s so busy that you have to swim through everyone,” said Zerillo.
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Organizers said they believe the weather whittled down the number of vendors that showed up on Wednesday night to around 100. On a warmer and drier day in the summer, they have around 120 vendors.
Great Harvest Bread Co. out of De Pere was one of the vendors that toughed it out on Wednesday night.
“We are rain or shine, we are in for the long haul,” said Megan Wood Bolin, who does marketing for Great Harvest Bread Co. “(We can) introduce new customers to our product, it’s a product once they try it, they’re going to seek us out.”
Organizers said this is one of the largest farmers’ markets in the state of Wisconsin. It includes a wide variety of vendors selling everything from cheese to honey to a variety of different crafts.
Non-profit organizations also show up at the farmers’ market, including Frontline Harvest Ministry. This organization helps women who have survived sex trafficking, who are recovering from addiction, or are transitioning back to society after incarceration.
At their booth at the farmers’ market, they sold bracelets, necklaces, and other items made by their clients. Officials with Frontline Harvest Ministry say all proceeds help them care for their clients.
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“Raising awareness and just letting the community know that this is a resource to help and build people up in their faith and their recovery,” said Sarah Christensen, who is the organization’s executive director.
The Farmers’ Market on Broadway happens every Wednesday through Sept. 24 and includes live music each week. For more information about the event, please click here.
“This is one of those events that is successful as it is,” said Vice President of Marketing Communications for On Broadway, Inc., Mary Rhode. “We try to infuse special little things here and there through the 19 weeks, but really as a whole the event is longstanding and successful.”
