The La Mirada City Council will be discussing the proposed La Mirada Farmer’s Market during the Council Study Session next Tuesday evening. The farmer’s market will take place on Saturdays from 9-2 PM in the Civic Center starting in March 2022 with 20 to 25 vendors and then move to the Night Markets at the Concerts in the Park in the summer months. Vendors will sell certified organic produce, ready-to-eat specialty food, and crafts.
On October 26, a Request for Proposals (RFP) was released to solicit proposals from qualified farmer’s market organizers. The farmer’s market organizer will serve as an independent contractor to organize and manage the farmer’s market on behalf of the City. At the November 17 submission deadline, the City received three proposals. Two market organizers were invited to an in-person interview and site walk that took place the week of November 29th.
Based on the submitted proposals and interviews, the City of La Mirada staff view VenaVer Events as the market organizer best suited to organize and manage a new farmer’s market in La Mirada. VenaVer Events has more than five years of experience organizing and managing farmer’s markets for both public and private sector clients. VenaVer Events presently organizes and manages farmer’s markets in Norwalk, Lomita, San Pedro, Paramount, and Wilmington. Staff believes VenaVer Events possesses sufficient experience, contacts with market vendors, and knowledge of organizing and managing a farmer’s market to serve La Mirada well.
The new farmer’s market is anticipated to begin in March of 2022. This timeframe is based on the amount of time needed to organize and schedule vendors for the new market and obtain the proper permits from the State and County. Once operational, the new farmer’s market will feature approximately 20 to 25 vendors and be held in the parking lot east of the Activity Center within the Civic Center campus. The market will be open weekly on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
During the summer months when the Buccaneer Bay waterpark is open for the season, the farmer’s market within the Civic Center campus will be temporarily suspended and instead operate as the Night Market during the City’s summer concert series. This adjustment is needed as parking is heavily impacted in the Civic Center parking lots during the summer months.
On September 14th, a farmer’s market survey was posted on the City website and was electronically distributed to some 1,600 community members who are on the City’s E-Newsletter distribution list. The survey response period concluded on September 23rd with some 1,080 responses received. Some 87 percent of the 1,080 survey respondents indicated they would visit the market at least twice a month.
Further, 57 percent indicated they would visit the market on a weekly basis. When given a choice between a market that met during a weekday versus a Saturday, the responses were split nearly evenly with just a slight preference toward a Saturday schedule.
The survey also asked what time of day was favored for a farmer’s market. Nearly 26 percent of the 1,080 survey respondents indicated they preferred an afternoon to evening market schedule. A combined 83 percent of the respondents preferred the options of 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The results of the online survey were presented to the Community Services Commission at its regular meeting on October 6. Commissioners agreed the survey results confirmed that a new farmer’s market would better serve the community if it were scheduled for Saturdays from approximately 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Source: City of La Mirada