Farmer's Market Spotlight: Clear Skies, Holiday Excitement

On Independence Day weekend, today's has treats to make you star-spangled on the inside.

"If you want red, white and blue from the market, we've got watermelon, wonderful blue berries, and this week, even white peaches," patriotically bragged assistant market manager Andrea Brannen. "We have wonderful pastries with all those colors as well, and we have Hawaiian shaved ice with blueberry, cherry and white coconut flavors, too."

The white peaches likely will go quickly, considering Brannen said their vendor sold out his 28 cases in a hurry last week. She warned there's always a long line for the blueberry vendor. Fortunately, a truck load of watermelons keeps those plentiful.

The Lilburn Woman's Club will be handing out American flags, and the Lilburn Veterans of Foreign Wars' Post 7434 will be distributing literature and symbolic silk poppy flowers. That's only a sampling of the flag-colored theme for today's market on the fifth of the season's 13 Fridays.

"Now's a time to pick up some goodies for your holiday weekend, your picnics, fireworks family gatherings or whatever," market manager Mandy McManus said. "There's nothing like a farmer's market on a holiday weekend."

This year's second annual existence of the market from 4-8 p.m. hasn't needed a holiday weekend to create interest, though. Since moving from last year's modest start along Railroad Avenue to the large parking lot across Main Street downtown, the market has exploded far beyond McManus and Brannen's imagination. Despite passing storms on two of the previous four Fridays, enthusiasm hasn't been dampened among those who've ducked briefly for cover, then continued.

Two weeks before last year's start, only 17 vendors had signed up to sell. This year, all 57 slots are full of vendors who pay $10 weekly for regular stalls and $15 for ones with electricity. Still more vendors comprise a waiting list, hoping to squeeze in if vacancies arise.

"It really kind of took off on its own last year," said McManus, who with Brannen, a good friend and neighbor, began the non-profit market at the suggestion of City Councilman Johnny Crist. "Vendors have to find a place to sell their stuff, or it's senseless to even grow it.

"It's about offering an opportunity for the community," McManus had said at the start of the market season. "It's offering a chance for people in Lilburn to have access to unique and fresh products."

There are tamales for sale, along with biscotti, Afghani flatbread, jams and jellies and even hand-made soap. Organic dog biscuits should be immensely popular on the market's special week on Aug. 12, the themed Dog Days of Summer, when four-legged visitors are even more welcome than usual. On July 14, the Women's Club will teach patrons how to play the Witzzle Pro math game, and on July 29, the market's Georgia on my Mind theme will include teaching kids fun facts about Georgia.

"We're offering families more of an opportunity to come out and be entertained at the market, too," McManus said. "We're trying to do things to keep people entertained while they shop."

With minimal threat of rain this holiday weekend, McManus and Brannen expect more foot traffic than ever. Even last week, when lightening closed the market an hour early, McManus said patrons hurriedly shopped with umbrellas as vendors packed up.

"It's been surprisingly good. it's just taken off on its own," McManus said of the market's popularity. "We've promoted it, but it's been mostly word of mouth. We're pleased to see people coming with empty shopping bags and leaving with full ones."