The Hollister Farmers' Market signifies another changing season each year, with the weekly Wednesday gatherings running from May through August.
This year, it also signifies a marketing shift, somewhat, for the Hollister Downtown Association's event, as organizers plan to offer art displays and more entertainment as a way to boost attendance to the market on the grassy lot at the corner of Fourth and San Benito streets. They also will start accepting food stamps - a concept with which we agree considering the high nutrition value of the fresh produce and other items for sale.
We commend organizers for taking such steps to spice up the event. But if last summer was any indicator - as sales slumped toward the season's end, causing an earlier-than-expected closure to the market - they should consider taking even bolder steps down the road.
The biggest obstacle is that it's an especially difficult day to hold the market, being on Wednesday afternoons when many people are either out of town working elsewhere or too busy to bother leaving their places of employment. Organizers are strapped, though, because moving the event to the weekends would create conflicts for many of the farmers who attend other markets as well.
The necessity to hold it mid-week, then, precipitates that additional challenge as it becomes more difficult to convince a large enough group of people that it's worth their while.
That's where a dynamic marketing plan comes into play.
Other ideas could add even more to the mix
While organizers are headed in the right direction, here are some additional ideas that, if feasible, would also draw more customers:
■ Involve the San Benito Stage Company and solicit the group to, perhaps, perform a portion of their latest productions, which also stands to help promote the organization's shows.
■ Schedule the San Benito High School 'Baler Band or the Rancho-Maze Band to perform every few weeks, which would add to the entertainment value for shoppers while drawing many of those schools' parents to the market as well.
■ Adding a stage to the lot would help create a more inviting atmosphere for music listeners and a better working environment for bands.
■ We like the idea of incorporating art, and the market should regularly involve the San Benito County Arts Council and artists from the area high schools, too.
■ Offer places to sit down, an addition that could make it more comfortable for tired walkers, especially senior citizens.
■ Look into whether the city or its redevelopment agency might be interested in placing a gazebo on the grassy lot to add some personality and create a more inviting aura.
All of these extra ideas, in the end, come back to the same theme: community. That's what this event has stood for in the past, while organizers and other residents should continue striving to involve as many facets of San Benito County as they can.
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