Farmers, vendors, and live music are attracting folks to downtown
Sarah Atkins
mnjreporter@gmail.com
More than 20 vendors lined Lower Street (Locust Street) for Spruce Pine’s second Third Thursday last week.
This local farmer’s market attracted vendors and guests from Mitchell and surrounding counties. There were booths selling various handmade crafts, locally grown produce, flowers, honey and more.
Not only could those at the market shop for unique items but they could also make something of their own. Penland School of Crafts hosted a booth where children could make a corn husk doll and Downtown Spruce Pine had a booth where people could bring their own shirts, or buy one at the market, to tie-dye for free.
Those in attendance at the market said they enjoyed the “variety of artisans” and that the event is “bringing people to downtown Spruce Pine.”
The Third Thursday events began on May 16. Spencer Bost, executive director of downtown Spruce Pine, said that attendance increased greatly from the first event to the one this month.
Third Thursday also advertises live music, bringing in local musicians to share their passions and grow their fanbase.
Last week, Jackson Grimm and The Bull Moose Party entertained marketgoers with their bluegrass tunes.
Many people set up chairs in the pocket park to listen to the music and visit with other people at the farmer’s market.
Bost said that when he came in as director, there were few downtown events catering to the young adults in the area. He wanted to change that by establishing a farmer’s market for people of all ages to enjoy and engage in.
Bost prioritizes having quality vendors and hopes that keeping the farmer’s market limited to the space between Link and Crystal streets will help achieve that goal.
There is a $25 booth fee, but if vendors stay for the entire event, they can set up at the next Third Thursday for free. This incentivizes vendors to stay for the whole event, giving people who visit the market more options.
The event is sponsored by Duke Energy and Tractor Food and Farms. Duke Energy sponsors the live musicians at the market. Partnering with Tractor Food and Farms helps ensure that Downtown Spruce Pine is “doing right” by the farmers that set up at the market.
“We [Downtown Spruce Pine] are not in this for the money, we are in it to support our local artists, farmers, and musicians,” Bost said.
Third Thursdays are expected to stay in Spruce Pine and give local shoppers and artists alike a place to build community each year from May to September.
The next Third Thursday event will be on July 18, from 5 to 8 p.m. on Lower Street, there will again be live music, farm fresh foods, and handmade crafts.