2024 General Information and Rules
To participate in our seasonal market, please complete and return the 2024 Vendor Application. Only registered vendors who have been accepted and further completed the “Vendor Agreement” are eligible to sell at the market.
2024 Market Dates: Saturday, May 18th - Saturday, October 5th.
Posted Hours of Operation: 9:00am to 1:00pm (Vendors must be set up and ready to sell by 8:00am)
Contact Information and Communication For general information please visit: http://portaustinarea.com/about-the-farmers-market/
Contact Information:
Market Master - Lisa Marie
P.O. Box 274, Port Austin MI 48467
Call or Text: 989-551-8100
Email: farmersmarket@portaustinarea.com
Regular business hours apply during the week and off-season. Vendors are welcome to contact Market Master after hours if matter is urgent. However, we cannot guarantee responses between 7:00 pm on Friday and 5:00 am on Saturday during the market season.
Vendors MUST notify the Market Master know if you plan to attend by 12:00pm on Wednesdays - First come, first served. Vendors who have not specified their schedule must give notification by 12:oopm on Wednesdays to be guaranteed a spot. Spots will not be guaranteed if notification is given after deadline. Especially, on holiday weekends when the market may be to capacity. We ask vendors to communicate their attendance plans or absences via text message. However, calls and emails are also acceptable.
Follow us on Facebook! Please visit, like, and share the Port Austin Farmers Market page. You can also communicate with us via instant messenger. We strongly encourage use of our social media, as we regularly make announcements and love to share vendor posts with our followers.
Weather Policy: The Port Austin Farmers Market is a "rain or shine" market, which means vendors are expected to be prepared for any weather conditions. Once vendors are set up, they are expected to remain at the market. Always bring necessary tents, weights, and table covers to ensure that your setup is secure and protected. The Port Austin Farmers Market is not liable for any damage to vendors merchandise due to weather or otherwise.
We recognize that extenuating circumstances may require cancellation. If very severe weather such as high winds, tornadoes, etc. is predicted, and the Market Staff deems it necessary to cancel, such cancellation will be announced on our Facebook page and on WLEW Radio Stations 102.1 FM and 1340 AM. Thank you for your cooperation in keeping our market safe and successful, rain or shine!
Application & Registration Process
All vendors must be apply and registered with the market before participating.
Returning vendors - MUST fill out the 2023 Vendor Application with photos. Returning vendors are not guaranteed re-approval.
New Vendor Registration - New vendors must first submit an application with photos, which can be filled out on our website at portaustinarea.com/information-for-vendors. You can submit your application by email, mail, or in person at the Chamber Office located at the Port Austin Welcome Center. If no one is available in the office, you can put it in the dropbox. Please submit photos of your products, as they help us understand what you are selling better than words alone. Applicants will receive a reply ONLY IF application is approved. Successful applicants will receive a vendor agreement, which must be signed and returned before attending their first market. A one-time processing fee of $15 will be charged for
Applications are accepted and reviewed throughout the year and market season.
Setup and Operation of Vendor Sites
*Please be considerate of Port Austin residents living in the areas where vendors line up and set up. Keep noise levels to a minimum during setup in the morning.
Setup
All vendors will be assigned at sport and arrival time.
Market Setup Policy: All vendors must unload at assigned sites and park their vehicles BEFORE setting up tents, tables, displays, and other equipment. This allows for a smooth and timely setup process for all vendors without vehicle congestion and necessary wait times. If it is raining, please set up only what is necessary to protect your products before parking.
*NOTE TO NEW VENDORS - To avoid confusion on busy weekends, the first setup for NEW vendors must not be on a holiday weekend.
Returning regular vendors: You know the drill; returning regular vendors will be assigned arrival times to expedite the setup process and avoid traffic congestion. Please indicate your previous setup time in the designated spot on your Vendor Agreement and suggest arrival time adjustments if necessary.
New/occasional vendors: You must confirm/ inform the Market Master if you plan to attend and a spot and setup time will be assigned. *There are two separate lineup areas for vendors with no assigned setup time. One lineup for Food/Farm vendors, the other for NON-Food/NON-Farm vendors. See map below.
- FOOD/FARM VENDORS – Line up on State Street east of the Lake Street intersection facing west.
- NON-Food/NON-Farm VENDORS – Line up on Line Street.
Parking
Vendors are required to follow the parking instructions given by the Market Master. Please be mindful of the space and ensure that you are not blocking any entrances. Parking options include the North Gym Parking and Church Parking Lot.
The Church Parking Lot is accessible via the entrance next to the building. Vendors must park facing and depart by driving over the sidewalk onto Washington Street. Refer to the map provided for a better understanding of the parking spots.
It is strictly prohibited for vendors to park on any street within the Village of Port Austin. On-street parking is exclusively reserved for customers and residents. Vendors found in no parking zones will be asked to move their vehicle.
Teardown
Vendors are not permitted to pack up their product nor break down their display before 1:00 pm. This is meant to ensure safety, avoid hazards, and maintain the shopping experience.
Should you sell out of your product, you may leave a cheerful sign indicating that you’re sold out site (congratulations!). Please feel free to leave your site and enjoy the market, but note that you may not pack up until the market closes at 1:00 pm.
Vehicles are not permitted on Market grounds until 1:15pm, 1:30pm on holiday weekends. The Market Master will also hold barricades on busy market days if necessary. This ensures the safety of vendors and customers. Only the Market Master and/or volunteers are permitted to move the barricades.
Vendors are responsible for cleaning up their site at the end of the day and removing all empty cartons and trash. Please take empty boxes and large trash items with you, and be mindful of small debris.
Please note: if you use plastic bags with cutout handles, please ensure to pick up all the cutout portions that stray from the bag. Alternatively, you may remove the cutouts before bringing them to the market. Thank you for helping us keep our village clean!
Site Size and Cost
Each vendor site is 10’ x 12'. Additional sites may be available but limited.
Non-profit organizations are considered "a vendor" and will be charged accordingly.
PRICING STRUCTURE
Fees
$15 processing fee for new vendors
$25 late fee
Prepay for the Full Season or Half Season: CONSECUTIVE SATURDAYS ONLY. By choosing prepay, you’ll receive a permanent spot. Please Note: Under special circumstances, the Market Master may need to make sport adjustments, but will always communicate before any changes are made. If not present by 7:30 am, your spot will be given to someone else. Prepay options include:
Full Season: May 18 - Oct 5: $525 - Due May 1st
1st Half Season: May 18 - July 27: $275 - Due May 1st
2nd Half Season: Aug 3 - Oct 5: $250 - Due July 31st
Pay by the week: Paying by the week guarantees a spot on the map, but NOT same spot every week. Payments are due by Wednesday Noon for guaranteed spot. First come, first served.
Weekly - x1 Saturday- $30
NOTE FOR ALL VENDORS
There will be no vendor fee refunds.
Rules will be enforced. Three strikes and you are out
Electrical sites are limited, please let the Market Master know if you require electricity.
Once the vendor sites are filled, it will be necessary to turn away any additional vendors.
Tents
We encourage all vendors to use tents. All vendors with tents are required to have suitable weights to protect against wind conditions.
Tent or canopy stakes are NOT allowed on the market grounds.
Sidings, on either side or back, are not allowed during market hours
Tents larger than the vendor site may be charged extra or may not be accommodated.
Products
The Market Management reserves the right to reject a vendor application if the goods or food items are not compatible with the overall concept of the Market, or the product mix currently offered at the Market.
At the beginning of each Market day, Market staff will inspect all vendor sites to assess the safety of displays and the acceptability of displayed items. Market staff members have full authority to ask that questionable items be removed from displays and/or prohibit the vendor from displaying at all.
Vendor Product Requirements and Policies:
Vendors are responsible for meeting any and all local, state and federal requirements.
Items with swear words or vulgar content is not permitted. Acceptability is subject to the Market Master's discretion.
Weapons of any type, new, used or antique (knives, hand guns, long guns, etc.) may NOT be sold as a vendor item.
Ammunition, fireworks, or other hazardous materials are NOT allowed.
“Flea Market” type items are also not acceptable.
All products must be approved by the Market Master during the application process.
Puppies and kittens may NOT be sold at the Market.
Other Notes & Policies
Project Fresh - The Market has been authorized by the Michigan Department of Community Health to participate in the “Project Fresh” programs. This allows eligible Huron County residents to use their State of Michigan coupons toward the purchase of eligible unprocessed, local produce. For more information, contact the market master or visit the program website here
Smoking - Market grounds are designated as a Non Smoking; there is a designated “Smoking Allowed” area. Please do not smoke at vendor sites during setup or breakdown.
Alcohol - Alcoholic beverages are NOT allowed on Market grounds - EXCEPT for Wineries which have permission and are licensed.
Soliciting - No soliciting or distribution of literature is permitted on Market walkways.
Pets - Absolutely no animals are allowed on market grounds.
The Port Austin Farmers Market Master maintains total discretion in all decisions related to operation and management of the market.
Music and Entertainment
We schedule live entertainment each week.
Please visit portaustinmusic.com for a list of events each week.
Volunteering
We LOVE our volunteers at the Port Austin Farmers Market and greatly appreciate any assistance. If you know someone who might be interested, please contact the Market Master at 989.738.7600.
We need help in the following areas:
Between 6:00am and 8:00am vendors arrive and set up; many appreciate a hand unloading their vehicles and setting up their tents. You needn’t show up at 5:30 and stay until 8:00; 6:15-7:00 is the busiest time and we’re delighted to have you for any amount of time whenever it suits you. We stage vendor arrivals to avoid waiting in line to unload at vendor sites (you can only fit so many vehicles on State St., the gym lot and the Village Green) and having extra help unloading vehicles allows setup to run smoother.
Entertainment Setup/breakdown - we need help setting up sound equipment and storing it after our Live on Stage performances, which begin at 10:00am and end at 1:00pm. If your free around 9:30am and/or 1:00pm we could really use a hand!
Between 12:45pm and 1:30pm we need volunteers to mind market entrances (from 12:55pm - 1:15pm, 1:30pm on holiday weekends; this allows some time for pedestrian traffic to clear and also time for vendors to break down their site completely before entering with their vehicles). We also need help returning market barricades and trash bins to the market trailer and also appreciate help picking up litter at any time.
During the market 9:00am - 12:30pm volunteers are needed for 50/50 raffles, which benefit different local charities in the area and also our beloved 4th of July fireworks. If there is a cause or an organization you would like to help, this is a fun and easy way to get involved. Tickets are sold between 9:00am and noon, with 3 drawings at the top of each hour.
Other ways to help: promote the market and Port Austin on social media; take and share high quality or interesting photos & videos; donate your products to the various raffles throughout the season; distribute promotional materials/deliver visitor guides to distant information centers. If you can think of any other ways to help, please let us know!
Thank you for your interest, participation and support. Welcome to the 18th season of the Port Austin Farmers Market!