As the 2012 farmers market season quickly approaches, Farmington Farmers Artisans Market Manager Walter Gajewski and the Farmington Downtown Development Authority event staff already have goals and objectives put to paper.

Listed goals include increasing sponsor support, increasing revenue, data mining the market for more metrics and demographics and reducing expenses.

“Community support and encouraging volunteers fueled our successes last season, leading us to rededicate and update the mission of the market,” said Gajewski.

“By encouraging community outreach with education, information and volunteerism, we’re really becoming a conduit for open exchange and public gathering in a welcoming atmosphere that we will work hard at to always be vibrant, colorful and festive. Every Saturday is like going to the fireworks, with children’s activities, educational demonstrations, community outreach, great music, awesome chefs, super volunteers and the best produce and artisans. I can’t wait for opening day.”

Similar sentiments are shared by others.

“The Farmers Market has established Farmington as the place to be on Saturdays, seeing old friends and meeting new, showcasing our downtown and bringing customers into our stores and restaurants,” said Bob Rock, Farmington DDA board president. “I’m very proud of our Farmers Market and it has a very bright future.”

Maintaining the momentum and legacy of the market requires months of preparation that is largely based on feedback and lessons learned from previous years.

“The future success of the Farmers Market will rely on us further discovering the needs and wants of our customers, vendors and DDA businesses,” said Janet Bloom, DDA events planner. “We will always keep an open line of communication to listen to those in the community. We are poised to build on the achievements from the past year and continue to make improvements in what we offer and how we offer it.

“Moving the market for the first time to a position of profitability was key for us to be able to implement several of the programs, improvements and activities that impacted our customers, our vendors and our downtown.”

A new component to be rolled out this year is rotating DDA restaurants at the market for increased exposure. DDA businesses still have a free booth available to pass out information onsite at the market. Also underway is the creation of Market Days, to garner more traffic from the market into downtown shops.

“We are researching the logistics and viability of accepting cash alternatives at the market, such as Bridge cards, to remove barriers so area residents gain access to healthy and nutritious food,” said Bloom. “Time will be spent to discover logistics and needs in having an end of market day food donation program to local food banks. Grants will be explored to help propel the market as a premier market in Southeast Michigan.”

The Farmington Farmers Artisans Market will open for the season from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 5, with a “Cinco de Mayo” theme.

For more information, visit DowntownFarmington.org.