Brigham Young University Dining Services is planting the seed for its inaugural Farmers Market by offering local growers and campus bakers and artisans free booth access. Dubbed the LaVell Edwards Stadium Farmers Market, it will be held at the south end of the stadium parking lot from 2 to 7 p.m. four Thursdays this fall: Sept. 23 and 30 and Oct. 7 and 14.
The market promises to be the university’s freshest public event.
“Our goal is to support the BYU community — especially the students — who do not have ready access to homegrown products,” said Dean Wright, director of Dining Services at BYU. “We promote the concept that for families and individuals, the fresher the food, the better.”
The market will also feature BYU Creamery ice cream, cheese and BYU Bookstore fudge; live music and entertainment by students; nutritional training provided by Dining Services; and professional cooking tips from BYU’s certified executive chef John McDonald.
Unlike other farmers markets, BYU is ensuring its offering avoids becoming the proverbial “swap meet” by scheduling maximum vendor ratios that limit non-food products:
- 50 percent – growers (free registration)
- 30 percent – arts and crafts (free registration, students and faculty/staff only)
- 10 percent – bakers (free registration, students and faculty/staff only)
- 10 percent – local restaurants (fee required)
BYU is joining BYU-Hawaii, BYU-Idaho, the University of Utah and other campuses nationwide in offering its students and local community opportunities to purchase fresh food and creative arts. To be held weekly each summer, BYU’s Stadium Farmers Market will not compete with local weekend markets.
Parking for the market is easily accessed at the stadium’s southeast parking lot.
For more information, or to submit an entertainment application, visit dining.byu.edu/farmers_market.html. To schedule a booth, contact Doug Patterson at (801) 422-4204.
Writer: Philip Volmar
