Another season sees return of favorite activities, along with live entertainment

By Greg Ellison

(April 29, 2021) The Berlin Farmers Market kicks off its fourth year of dishing out local produce, fresh-baked delights, musical entertainment and children’s activities on Sunday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Economic & Community Development Director Ivy Wells said Main Street would be closed to traffic for the market’s duration Sunday.

“They’ll be more than 30 farmers, bakers and food cultivators,” she said.

Economic & Community Development Director Ivy Wells

The Berlin Farmers Market is held downtown along Pitts Street, Commerce Street and Main Street.

In addition to prerequisite morning coffee and pastries, a variety of culinary options will be offered.

“We’re going to be setting up the café tables and chairs,” she said. “A variety of restaurants will be open, selling breakfast to go.”

While incorporating Berlin eateries into the farmers market offerings was a new wrinkle in 2020, this year will mark the return of live acoustic music.

“We do have live music back from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.,” she said. “Everett Spells will be playing sax for a jazz brunch atmosphere.”

Along with multiple dates with Spells on sax, other local performers scheduled at the market this season include Bryan Russo and Kasey Briggs.

In June, touring act Celtic Pierogi will play the market.

Billed as a “family friendly variety show with a clogging problem,” the act has previously performed at Furnace Town’s Celtic Festival.

“It’s a husband and wife,” she said, “They do all kinds of fun tap dancing and quirky stuff.”

Along with dropping musical entertainment last year because of coronavirus restrictions, the market was also forced to abandon art activities for children.

“We used to have an arts table for kids to be able to do all kinds of art projects,” she said. “This year we’re going to have grab-and-go kids’ art projects.”

In a departure from the previous hands-on instruction, Wells said the adapted approach would still provide boys and girls an enjoyable homebound pursuit.

“As an arts and entertainment district we’re trying to show the connection between art and nature,” she said.

Wells said grab-and-go bags would contain supplies and instructions for youngsters.

“For the first one we’re doing paper-plate flowers,” she said.

Wells highlighted several new Berlin food merchants, who would be promoting their wares Sunday, including Broad Street Station.

“He’s going to be [on Commerce Street] offering crabs for people to take home and steam,” she said.

Also the Rusty Anchor Seafood Market will be on Pitt Street with a variety of local seafood.

Despite the slightly expanded slate versus 2020, Wells stressed coronavirus restrictions remain in place.

“Everything is exactly the same,” she said. “The guidelines have not changed from last year and masks are still required.”

Wells also noted pets are welcome to attend with their human counterparts.

In a return to form initiated last year, Wells said a number of Berlin Main Street businesses would be open during market hours.

“It was really successful for them last year and many of the shops are going to open at 9 a.m. on Sunday morning,” she said. “We encouraged businesses to set up tables outside [last year and] it pretty much sustained them.”

Wells said there is a clear distinction between the Berlin Farmers Market and typical roadside produce stands.

“Sometimes they get produce from other states and that’s the difference between a produce stand and a farmers market,” she said. “The products that you buy are … only from local farmers [and] they’re not bought and then resold.”

For more information about the market, visit www.facebook.com/theberlinfarmersmarket.