2 Weeks Left at Waukesha Farmer's Market

The growing season has ended for area farmers but not for the .

This past year was such a success that the (BID) hopes to expand for next year.

Before next year, though, there are still two more weeks, Oct. 29 and Nov. 5, of the popular Saturday morning community event.

In addition to the varied selection of produce, meats, cheeses and more available, this weekend, children can decorate a trick-or-treat bag that can be used for trick-or-treating in costume at downtown Waukesha businesses from 1 to 4 p.m.

The Farmer’s Market on Nov. 5 is a combined effort with , which is also hosting a tack show that day. People interested in selling tack should contact the store to reserve a spot. And area farmers still have items to sell with about 20 farmers so far who have reserved spots for that day, Waukesha Business Improvement District Executive Director Meghan Sprager said. 

This year went very well for the weekly community event.

“It was an exceptional year,” Sprager said.

Crowds up to 2,500 people came to the downtown area on Saturday mornings to browse and sample fare from more tan 70 vendors, according to Sprager.

The cornucopia of diverse offerings at the market this year included all different kinds of fruit and vegetables, crafts like tie dye or jewelry, flowers, salad dressings, popcorn, coffee, honey, meats, eggs and cheeses.

The farmer’s market remained popular though out the summer and into fall, Sprager said, with four to 10 calls per week coming into the BID office for vendor stalls.

Different community groups partnered with the BID to distribute maps and other information at key entry points and even downtown businesses not located on the river walk got involved, according to Sprager. had a stall at the market to offer coffee, hot drinks and baked goods to market-goers.

In retrospect, one of the highlights from this year was from Chef Josie of Bravo’s Top Chef, said Meghan Sprager, BID executive director. Chef Josie cooked dishes with fresh food purchased at the market that day.

A stand-out in the community venture for the BID was new restaurant , which did an “exceptional job of partnering with us,” said Sprager.

Opening the restrooms for market-goers was certainly appreciated by all, but for Key Westconsin owner Gary Krivos the added business during the farmer’s market was a bonus.

The new restaurant opened up for breakfast on Saturday morning and also had outside seating, allowing customers to sit and people watch while trying new breakfast fare like crème brûlée French toast and shrimp, crab or lobster benedicts, an item that is also on the dinner menu noted as “breakfast for dinner.”

The outside seating was so popular with customers that the restaurant had a waiting list for the eight prime location tables, Krivos said.

With the outdoor season waning, Krivos said that he hopes people do not forget about them.

The farmer’s market was a good fit for him not only because of the added business but also because of the local people and businesses involved, home-grown businesses like his.

“Shop local is the whole idea. I buy local, shop locally, and my customers are local, too,” he said. “The chains are going to survive but people forget about us little guys.”

Local businesses haven’t been the only ones to reap the benefit of a bountiful harvest at the farmer’s market.

According to a recent BID newsletter, approximately 7,000 pounds of food has been donated to the Hope Center, thanks to vendors and customer of the farmer’s market.

When asked what is planned for the market or next year, Sprager was quick to answer, “Expansion!”

She said that she’s begun discussions with stakeholders across the river for a few parking spots. Parking is at a premium in the downtown area and she doesn’t want to make it harder for market-goers to find a spot to park but it’s possible a few parking spots might be converted to an additional small area for vendors, facing the river walk.

Sprager said that people have asked her about extending the hours of the farmer’s market and about having a winter market but those ideas will have to wait until next year as the BID researches expansion plans.

Also, based on the success of this year, some local restaurants expressed an interest in setting-up booths for next year’s farmer’s market, Sprager said. 

“The core focus has been getting up and going and growing this year,” Sprager said.