Yea! It really must be Spring! Supposed to rain tomorrow, but I’m going any way to the Capital City Public Market in downtown Boise. I also heard where they want to expand to a building in the area and have specific booths for the vendors, education programs and cooking programs. That sounds great, but expensive. I hope they get the backing needed. In the meantime: See you at the Market!! Here is the link to the Capital City Public Market. Check it out.
From their web site we learn,

Welcome to the Capital City Public Market of Boise, Idaho. The Market is an on-going, centrally located gathering place where local farmers and producers can sell their products to community residents and visitors. The Market upholds the age-old tradition of allowing the consumer to meet the producer while encouraging the production and consumption of agricultural products in the Treasure Valley. Maintaining a diverse mix of products offered for sale at the Market will provide direct marketing opportunities for growers, specialty food vendors, and artisan vendors alike. The Market is more than just a place of business, it is a mutually beneficial and sustainable community activity.

As a bit of history of the Market also from their web site,

The Saturday market that is now known as the Capital City Public Market has lead a long and eventful life. The Market first started in 1994 when The S-16 Corporation united with Karen Ellis to start an open air market. Karen had been enamored by the vitality of Seattle’s Pike Street Market and had been researching the public market for some time. Under Karen’s supervision and with the help of the S-16 Corp. the Saturday Market was an instant success. Unfortunately for The Market, Karen had more interest in the project than her partners, and she was forced to move the market to a dirt lot on the corner of 8th & Main, what we now know as “The Hole” in 1996. During this move The Market and all of its 12 vendors became the member-owned, state non-profit organization that it is today.

In two years The Market became such a success that downtown businesses started to lobby the Capital City Development Corporation to allow The Market to shutdown and occupy 8th Street between Bannock and Idaho, where it flourished for two more years before expanding across the street to occupy two city blocks in 2000 with a vendor count of about 25.

In 2003, The Market made another big move across yet-another busy street and began to occupy The Grove. The addition of roughly two city blocks and the ambiance of The Grove allowed The Market to create an art-centric block where artists and performers could flourish in a nourishing environment. At this time The Market partnered with The Brick Oven Bistro, Boise Blue Art Supply, and Boise City Arts Commission to create the Emerging Artist program, as well as Arts for Kids.

In 2010, The Market moved one block north to occupy 8th Street from Bannock to Jefferson. While this block was very successful another move was needed. With the Market being in an urban area, pedestrian traffic has always been a safety concern. With help from the Boise City Police Department, ACHD, and ValleyRide the Market was able to relinquish the newly created north block and move those vendors onto Idaho Street which runs east and west. The new “T” layout has proved to be VERY successful for all involved. It has created a new feeling at the Market which is loved by customers and vendors alike.

In the following years The Market remained in its location, and has been able to grow steadily and mature into a market consisting of up to 150+ vendors a day in the peak of the season, and now consumes 6 blocks of Downtown Boise.

It takes a lot of hard work to achieve what has been done here. Tell the organizers “Thank-You” when you see them. It will be appreciated.