Weekly outdoor market provides vendor space

Eastlake’s weekly outdoor market has evolved since its beginnings at Vineyards Plaza three years ago.

Since the Lake County Captains minor league baseball team did not play last year due to the novel coronavirus, the market operated out of Classic Park’s (Captains’ home field) concourse parking lot, said Judy Moran, administrative assistant to the mayor and fire chief of the city of Eastlake.

With baseball games scheduled for this year at Classic Park, located at 35300 Vine St. in Eastlake, the market will operate in the parking lot across from the stadium, Moran said, at 35010 Vine St.

“I have probably 45-plus vendors this year, so it’s grown over the three years and I’m really excited about it,” Moran said.

The market will run from May 6 to Sept. 2 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursdays. Vendors have been given the option to stay until 7 p.m. on game nights so they are able to capture the traffic that comes in to watch the games, Moran said.

“The whole reason the market started was when we started at Vineyards Plaza, it was to bring attention to that plaza to get people in there to rent the spaces,”

Moran said. “That’s working out really well because I have two people who will probably be going into the front there.”

In addition to the independent distributors and home producers who frequent the market, fresh produce is also provided, Moran said.

“It’s not as expensive as it is in some of the grocery stores and it comes right from the farm,” Moran said.

“I have a gentleman who comes up from Garrettsville and he’s very well received. The I Love You to the Moon and Back Bakery was one of our vendors and now she has a storefront on Vine Street.”

The farmers market

gives home base people a place to showcase what they’ve made and sell, which switches oftentimes, Moran said.

“I just want people to have a gathering spot. I think it’s important for people to have a place to gather, and be able to see these people who are their friends and neighbors they can support.”