Photograph by Jeanette L. Hanna
Anthea Barron (right, back) runs an organic food stand at the Saratoga Farmers Market.
By Julie Mehta
The effort to kick off Saratoga Market Days got a boost last week when the City Council indicated support for the idea and proposed spending $2,000 to help promote it. At its April 9 meeting, the council discussed the concept, intended to help all of Saratoga benefit from the successful Farmer's Market.
The idea is to give merchants the opportunity to hold special events and promote their businesses with banners and balloons each Saturday from May 4 to Oct. 26.
The Farmer's Market, begun last year, would remain in Saratoga Village, but the Quito, Gateway, and Argonaut shopping areas would host events such as wine tasting, food sampling, and demonstrations at the market and would stage their own themed events on selected days. Some merchants from each area would be part of an ongoing treasure hunt through which people would be led to various stores in order to find a "treasure" and win prizes.
The ultimate goal is to get more people to shop in Saratoga, said Lynne LaCroix, advertising coordinator for the Market Days event.
"Why should people go someplace else when we have all these stores right here? People need to know what we have."
LaCroix says the event is meant to give Saratoga a fun image. "We want to start doing something to bring younger faces out here," she said. To that end, some children's event, such as a puppet show, clown or magician act, craft lesson, or storytelling session, is being planned for each Saturday.
City Councilmember Don Wolfe, who has been working closely with the business community on this event, said the idea grew out of the Saratoga Business Development Council's activities and is the first opportunity for all businesses in Saratoga to host a joint event. "I'm delighted that businesspeople are taking charge of their destiny in this way," Wolfe said.
Staging the event requires certain changes in city sign laws. At the meeting, some councilmembers expressed concern that the displays mounted by businesses for the event may get out of control.
LaCroix said the Market Days organizers do not want to do anything to offend the community and are eager to resolve these concerns.
Though Mayor Paul Jacobs could not attend the meeting, he had said at the April 3 City Council meeting that he believed the Farmer's Market was successful because it was low-key and he was not sure Saratogans wanted outsiders to pour into the city every Saturday for Market Days. Jacobs said he was not in favor of the city helping to fund advertising for the event.
At the April 9 meeting, Wolfe's suggestion to use some of the $3,200 stipend annually earmarked for the Chamber of Commerce to fund Market Days, which he called a "chamber-like event," drew some objections from Chamber president Jeff Evans and Market Day planners. Ultimately, though, the councilmembers unanimously agreed to Wolfe's suggestion to direct staff to advance $1,000 from next year's budget and to draw $1,000 from the chamber's regular stipend to go toward Market Days.
Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Sheila Arthur said the chamber does not have a problem with the cut from its funds because it was planning to help sponsor Market Days anyway.
Wolfe said he believes the chamber will actually benefit financially through the event by obtaining new memberships.
The Market Days planning committee has a large budget of print , radio, and television advertising planned to push its event and, even with city help, will need to draw the majority of its funds from participating merchants. Presently, representatives are going door-to-door to recruit businesses to get involved.
Final approval of the code changes needed to allow the event and the funding proposal is scheduled for the April 23 City Council meeting.
This article appeared in the Saratoga News, April 17, 1996.
©1996 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved