A message from the Saturday Market Manager…

“The 2021 Season for the Main Street Murfreesboro Saturday Market on the square was one for the record. Every Saturday, there were 66 vendor spots, and on busy Saturdays we had from 1,500 to 3,000 visitors.  Thank you, Middle Tennessee customers. This year we had an extended season, opening the last two weeks of May and continuing through October with 57 full-time vendors, 28 part-time vendors, 6 community information groups, and 12 downtown businesses represented at the market. We plan on having that extended schedule again in 2022.

The Market is primarily a Farmer’s Market, with a focus on fresh produce, locally raised and processed meat, local honey, jams and jellies, and fresh bakery products.  But in 2020, we added craft/artisan vendors to our extended season in October, and it was such a success that we invited many of those vendors to our regular season this year. We also reserved one space for community interest groups this year.  The Rutherford County Master Gardeners, The Rutherford County Historical Society, Linebaugh Library, Middle Tennessee Sinfonietta, the Mid State Iris Society, Friends of the Linebaugh Library, and the Rutherford County Archaeological Society signed up.  We plan to continue that community-building and outreach in 2022, as well as having a spot reserved again for downtown businesses.

It was another great season overall—only two days of rain out of 23 Market Saturdays, and a steady stream of customers, many of them coming back every week.  There were customers from across Middle Tennessee and even customers who saw the Market on Google and took a detour from their travel route to check us out.  By far, the comments from customers focused on the quality and friendliness of our vendors and the beautiful Rutherford County Courthouse and downtown setting for the market. People brought out-of-town visitors and MTSU students even brought their visiting parents.

Our Facebook page, Murfreesboro Saturday Market, was a big hit with customers, and many of our postings received more than 3,000 hits.  We loved sharing photos of our vendors and shoppers.  The Market does more than support local farmers and artisans; it provides a local source for quality food, brings a sense of community, encourages people to shop and dine downtown, and offers a fun experience for our customers.  We see comments from our Facebook followers asking friends to “meet at the Market.”  You don’t often see people suggesting they meet at the grocery store!

Even though the Market has been on the square for more than eleven years, we still have people who tell us they are visiting for the first time.  Our goal this year is to spread the word about all the benefits—and the fun—of coming to the Main Street Murfreesboro Saturday Market.  We will be open every Saturday 8 a.m. until noon from May 21 until October 29.  Hope to see you on the square in 2022.” Linda Weeks