Hamilton Farmers Market Board Ends Friday Evening Hours

The Hamilton Farmers Market is ending its Friday evening hours despite support from hot food vendors and an increasing number of customers each week.

In a 3-1 vote, the Market Board decided to close at 5:00 p.m. on Fridays, beginning after Christmas.

The Market resumed evening hours in September, after voting in July to end COVID hours that had been in effect since March 2020.

Door counting devices at the Market show increasing traffic since the reopening. Hot food vendors are reporting increased sales. Vendors were not required to remain past 5:00 p.m.

The Neverending Debate About Market Hours

The Hamilton Farmer’s Market hours are set by its Board of Directors, a Board that a 2020 consultants report accurately described as dysfunctional and recommended disbanding the Board.

The Board presently has no citizen members, following the resignations of citizen members during various incidents during the past three years.

Market hours have been an ongoing debate for years. Citizens are asking for both more hours and the City to enforce contracts to ensure vendors are open.

There have been years of debate about the Market hours.

The Market’s hot food vendors are requesting the Market be open in the early evening.

A faction of dry and product vendors have sought fewer open hours.

Surveys show the top complaint from customers is that vendors are not open during posted hours.

One of the problems cited by the 2020 report was vendor representatives serving their own personal interests to the detriment of the Market’s viability.

Market Hours Debate to Restart in March

The Market Board’s vote to end evening hours included an amendment to restart the Market hours debate in March.

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Published: December 5, 2023
Last edited: December 5, 2023
Author: Joey Coleman
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