Farmers Market bids to 'freshen' city image

Henderson's Farmers Market is expected to make its downtown debut on Tax Day.

As part of the city's downtown revitalization efforts, it is inviting residents to "get fresh downtown on Thursday night."

The farmers market, which is set to run year-round every Thursday from 4 to 7 p.m. in the Civic Center Plaza, is a joint effort between the city and its redevelopment agency.

The market will be open to local as well as out-of-town vendors, said Michelle Romero, spokeswoman for the city's community development department.

"We have sent application packets out to almost 200 farmers and vendors," she said. "We're hoping for a pretty good-sized event."

Romero said they are shooting for 30 vendors to show up April 15.

"All markets start out small," she said. "It takes about five years to reach their potential."

The city has budgeted $25,000 in start-up costs -- including promotion and advertising -- to get the Henderson market going, Romero said.

The Silverton hotel-casino and Boulder City also are planning to sponsor farmers markets on Fridays and Saturdays, respectively.

Additional markets would bring more vendors to Henderson's, Romero said.

While the Las Vegas Farmers Market closed last year because of numerous problems, several successful markets remain in Northern Nevada, Romero said.

The Sparks Farmers Market runs from the last week in June to the second week in September and draws around 6,000 people weekly. The Carson City market, which began six years ago, draws around 3,000 people on Wednesday nights.

"We've had tremendous response from the public from all over the valley," Romero said, adding she has received inquiries about the market from as far away as St. George, Utah.

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