Festhalle Farmers Market 2012 Season
April 3 - October 27, 2012

NOW OPEN 8 A.M. - 3 P.M.
TUESDAYS, THURSDAYS, & SATURDAYS

Cullman’s Festhalle Market Platz, located at the corner of Arnold Street and First Avenue Northeast in the city’s historic Warehouse District, will usher in the 2012 Farmers Market Season on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays beginning April 3, 2012!

Now in its sixth year, the Festhalle Farmers Market will open its regular season beginning Tuesday, April 3, 2012. The Festhalle Market will open three days a week in April (Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday) with new hours for the 2012 season as recently approved by the Festhalle Market Platz Steering Committee.

Those new hours are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily (Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday) instead of last year’s schedule of 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesdays and Saturdays and Noon to 6 p.m. Thursdays.

“We were already opening the market on Thursdays and Saturdays in April to accommodate local greenhouses, nurseries and producers wishing to sell bedding plants, nursery stock, flowers and other plants, as well as area farmers who have early garden vegetables and strawberries,” said Festhalle Market Manager Jimmy Simms. “The committee also wanted to eliminate any lingering confusion about the hours the market is open so the members voted to end the so-called Thursday afternoon market and instead voted unanimously to open all three days, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The committee felt it would be easier for customers to remember the market’s hours if those hours were the same all three days.”

All area farmers are invited to attend a Festhalle Farmers Market Orientation Meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday, March 15, in the Cullman City Hall Auditorium at 201 Second Avenue NE. This will be a very informal meeting designed as an opportunity for local growers to get together prior to the start of the 2012 market season. Arnold Caylor, director of the North Alabama Horticulture Substation in Cullman and chairman of the Festhalle Market Steering Committee, along with Tony Glover, Alabama Cooperative Extension Agent/Coordinator will be the keynote speakers. Their presentations will be followed by a question and answer session. All current farmers market vendors and potential vendors are encouraged to attend as market staff prepare to kick-off the 2012 market season.

Those with access to the Internet can view a copy of the 2012 Festhalle Market Rules & Regulations online at www.cullmancity.org. Just “click” on the Festhalle Market Platz site. Those visiting the Festhalle site will also find a copy of the vendor application. Rules and regulations are also available in the office of Festhalle Market Manager Jimmy Simms, located in the Cullman Civic Center at 510 5^th Street SW. You can also call the manager with any questions you have at (256) 775-7207 or (256) 590-2003.

For the fourth year, Festhalle Market Platz will host the community’s annual StrawberryFest on Friday, May 11 and Saturday, May 12. The two-day festival will once again offer something for everyone in celebration of the “finest strawberries and home-grown produce found anywhere in North Alabama.”

As part of the annual festival, visitors are encouraged to help us “Paint the Town Strawberry Red” while enjoying such events and activities as the annual 5-K Run, Senior Day on Friday, a classic car/truck and antique tractor show on Saturday, annual crafts fair both days, children’s carnival, wagon rides, historical district tours, live entertainment, games and give-aways, great food and concessions and lots of strawberries.

Friday, May 11 will once again be “Senior Day” at the festival with congregational singing, bingo and entertainment throughout the day at the festival’s “Big Tent.” The festival will run from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day and admission is FREE.

Among the featured entertainment at this year’s festival will be Nashville performer/recording artist Mary “Mean Mary” James performing from 1-3 p.m. Friday and local favorites “Three On A String” performing a free concert from 1-3 p.m. on Saturday, May 12.

The 2011 Farmers Market Season will run from April 3 through Oct. 27. Days and hours of operation are Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.

As in past years, there will be expanded activities at the market on Saturdays with live entertainment, cooking demonstrations, visits by local chefs and special events throughout the season like Tomato Day, Corn Day, Onion Day, cantaloupe and watermelon tastings and much more.

Again this season, daily space rental fees at Festhalle Market will be $10. Market vendors can reserve a space for the entire 2012 season for a rental fee of $350. Checks should be made payable to: Cullman City Parks and Recreation. A number of market spaces have been reserved for the 2012 season. If you are interested in securing a space for the season please contact Manager Jimmy Simms.

As always, the No. 1 goal at Festhalle Market Platz is to provide a venue for Cullman County farmers to sell their produce and with the demand for locally grown farm fresh produce at an all time high expectations are high that 2012 will be our best season yet,” Simms said.

Also, Festhalle Market Platz is available for public and private rentals throughout the year. Daily rental of the Festhalle is $200. A $50 refundable cleanup deposit is required. Contact Jimmy Simms for available dates and details.

Anyone with questions about the market, the market schedule or rules and anyone interested in being a produce or crafts vendor at Alabama’s largest timber frame structure, contact Jimmy Simms at 256-775-7207, 256-590-2003 or send an Email to jsimms@cullmancity.org.