Young Leaders of Northeast Indiana (YLNI) is gearing up for the 8^th season of the Barr Street Market, which opens on Saturday, July 7.

Located at the corner of Barr and Wayne Streets, directly behind the History Center, the market is open Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., July 7 through September 15, and brings over 1,000 visitors to downtown Fort Wayne each summer.

The Barr Street Market opens Saturday, July 7th, 2012.

Staying true to the historic farm market that occupied the space in the late 1800s and early 1900’s, Barr Street Market hosts a diverse group of over 30 vendors from nine Northeast Indiana counties and Ohio.

Vendors offer locally grown produce, honey, children’s clothing, jewelry, soap, cupcakes, baked goods, and more.

“Barr Street Market is about celebrating Fort Wayne and our region,” says market co-chair Dan Douglas. “We want to encourage shopping locally!”

In addition to vendors, Barr Street Market features local performers, too. Sunny Taylor kicks off the season on July 7, and End Times Spasm Band will close it out on September 15. Also on July 7, the Fort Wayne Youtheatre will perform a short skit at noon. A full entertainment schedule is listed below.

“We have a lot of new things planned this year,” says co-chair Dana Barrett. “Johnny TinCap and the Mad Ant will be making appearances, and we are working on other special guests and performers. We want people to come to the market and hang out. That’s why you’ll see more entertainment this year.”

Ivy Tech’s culinary school will also make several appearances at the market, providing demonstrations, showcasing what visitors can do with the produce they purchase.

“We are very excited about the market this year and have high hopes to expand in the future, bringing more vendors and more performers,” says Barrett.

Barr Street Market is run by YLNI and community volunteers. If you are interested in volunteering, contact market@ylni.org. For more information about Barr Street Market, visit www.ylni.org.

Entertainment schedule:

July 7             Sunny Taylor, Fort Wayne Youtheatre

July 14           Will Certain

July 21           Mike Conley

July 28           Dan Smith

Aug. 4             Hubie Ashcraft

Aug. 11           Colin Boyd & Friends

Aug. 18           Jon Durnell

Aug. 25           Gene Donnelly

Sept. 1             Groove Caravan

Sept. 8             Adam Strack

Sept. 15          End Times Spasm Band

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