Vessel plays live music for shoppers at the 2008 Fredericksburg Farmers Market in downtown Fredericksburg. Again this season, organizers are inviting local performers to add to the entertainment mix at the Thursday evening gatherings. Photo by Phil Houseal

Details:
The Fredericksburg Farmers Market starts May 28 and runs every Thursday evening from 4 to 7 p.m. through September. It is held at MarktPlatz in downtown Fredericksburg. Information at www.fbgfarmersmarket.com, or email nancytiemann@gmail.com or info@fbgfarmersmarket.com.

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Farm Fresh Music

by Phil Houseal
Apr 1, 2009

How about some farm fresh music to go with that organic kale and fresh-squeezed juice?

Organizers are looking for just such a product as the Fredericksburg Farmers Market gets set to begin its second season on May 28.

The market features about 20 booths, where local growers display and sell their fresh produce, goat cheese, natural meats, and medicinal and culinary herbs.

Last season, Vessel handled most of the music duties, playing folk, music from the 1960s and 70s, and original songs. Shoppers also pinched peaches and thumped melons to the sounds of singer-songwriters and a women's drumming group. So, what is it like to play music in the aisle of a grocery market?

"For me, it is all about community," said the holistic health educator, who doesn't perform in bars. "Some come to sit and listen; some people danced. They loved it, and I feel it was an honor."

This season, organizers are looking to expand the musical portion of the market. But that is not as simple as just adding bands. For one, they have a limited budget. More important, they want to keep music that fits the vision of the market. It is not about bigger, bolder, louder.

"We don't look for it to become a flea market," said David Clements, Co-President. "Too many people with a card table want to buy space. This is more about building synergy."

The group's mission is to encourage people to think and act locally, according to the other Co-President, Nancy Tiemann. She believes in providing a convenient, affordable and healthy place to discover locally-grown produce. Live music is not essential to that mission, but it does enhance the experience.

"The majority of visitors are local residents," she said. "They remember having their gardens and what fresh produce tastes like, and they have the satisfaction of knowing who picked it and where it grew. They will come down to get their vegetables, then stay around for the music. I believe that sense of community is what MarktPlatz was designed for."

That points out the quandary organizers face - having music that is too entertaining. Then people might sit and listen to the band and no one will shop. The main purpose of the market, after all, is the market.

"It's more than just a market, but the market is the resource," Clements explained. "Music brings people in where they learn about sustainability and organic farming. As far as music, if a person thinks this is only a 'gig,' he is missing the point."

Clements and Tiemann encourage anyone interested in supporting the mission of the market with their music to contact them. Plans call for a rotating slate of performers who will handle entertainment duties once every six to eight weeks.

"The most important part of it is that there are so many different types of music," Tiemann noted. "Not just esoteric female drumming, not just country-western. It is important that we use local musicians with wide ranges of styles. That sort of makes it fun; you never know who is going to be there."

According to Vessel, having music at the market is as natural as having mangoes at the market. "We like to feature local singers and local songs," she said. "It's homegrown music!"