Archive: Around Town

Despite heavy morning rain, Saturday brought the first day of the Lansing Framer's Market.  Vendors lines the Town Hall parking lot, while a chicken barbecue sold out to benefit the market.  Beverly Stokes kicked off opening day with guitar and song, while James Turner made balloon animals.  And when the weather cleared business picked up as people stopped by to shop, buy chicken, and play baseball.

"We're trying to bring more events in like the opening day chicken barbecue to raise our own money," says Market Coordinator Lynn Day.  "We have several weeks of entertainment.  We also have special events -- hopefully something to do with the dog park, and a car show for the benefit of Lansing youth Services.  We're hoping that adding events will bring more people to the market."

Already the lineup is impressive.   Future musical entertainment includes Regina O'Brien, Technicolor Trailer Park, Richie Benjamin, Paul Kempkes, and David Coester.  Kathryn Russell will provide a free Music In Motion class for young children and adults, magician Matthew Ocone will perform, a car show in August, and more.  Day says he hopes they will be able to have a flea market once a month in addition to the farm stands, though flea market vendors have been slow to respond.


Day wants to bring Lansing Home Days back to be a part of the market activities.  That event used to take place on the day of a baseball game, and brought scouting, 4-H, the Lansing Drop-in Center and other local service groups together to raise funds and hold events, while holding a crafts show in the Community Center.  In a way the Lansing Harbor Festival is a child of the older event, but Day says that with the Fire Department Carnival gone, he would like to bring it back, too.

"We're trying to get more involved with community groups to bring attention to the Farmer's Market," he said.  "The big thing is coordinating it with the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, brownies and all the different groups.  And you have to find a day that will work.  I am hoping we can do that in the future, because with the carnival gone it will be nice to have an event where the groups can raise a little money.  It would be a nice thing to get going again."

Connie Wilcox started the Farmers Market in 2009.  Day assisted by taking the responsibility for setting up and taking down the market each weekend.  It takes place in the Lansing Town Hall parking lot, benefitting from people who also come for baseball and weekly chicken barbecue benefits.  Town Center plans include a permanent home near the current location.

"I wanted to be part of it because I think it's a good thing for the community to have," he says.  "It's coming together.  I think it's going to take some time before we get our own pavilion.  Hopefully that will happen as part of the Town Center.  At some point we will be out of the parking lot.  Until then we'll just deal with it."

Linda VanApeldoorn assists Day in making it happen.  She built the Web site, advertised for entertainment, and has been assisting on whatever needs to be done.  This year the market is advertising more, and Day says the signs have helped make people aware of it.  VanApeldoorn also serves on the market's Board of Directors along with Keith and Sarah Thompson and Dan Konowalow.


Eighteen vendors participated on opening day, with four of them signing up that morning.    Day says he is grateful to the Lansing Community Council for helping raise funds -- the chicken barbecue sold out all 300 chicken halves.

"They are doing their own fundraising on the first Saturday to raise money for their expenses, such as advertising, for the year," says Community Council President Ed LaVigne.  "They are trying to be as self-sufficient as possible.  We hope to make the barbecue an annual event."

The plan is to continue through October 27th, weather permitting.  Next Saturday (tomorrow) the market coordinates with the Lansing Community Library's Summer Reading Program Kick-off. 

"I'm hoping we'll have between 16 and 20 on average," Day says.  "They can sign up any time.  They can participate for the whole season, or just one Saturday."

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