Ready to taste that first mouth-watering tomato freshly picked from the vine? Or those early sweet peas, squash, and green beans?  Then the Summer Street Stroll Farmers’ Market will be the place to be, starting on Thursday, June 5, at the June Jaunt events at Jack Kilby Square and continuing through Sept. 4, in conjunction with the Great Bend City Band Summer Concert series and other special events on Thursday evenings. The market organizers are currently seeking a variety of interested vendors to participate in the Summer Street Stroll.  
The farmers’ market focus is locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables, garden products and baked goods, locally produced crafts, handmade items, and area artists’ creations from ceramics to paintings and other arts. Opening night for the Summer Street Stroll Farmers Market coincides with Kansas Speed Week Cruise Night and a City Band Concert.
Barton County Health Educator, Janel Rose and Great Bend’s Community Coordinator Christina Hayes have been working together to enhance downtown events with the Summer Street Stroll Farmers Market in collaboration with retailers’ Thank You Thursdays and the City Band Concerts at Jack Kilby Square as well as summer movies in the park. “This will give working individuals the opportunity to get fresh produce, shop local retailers, and catch community events,” said Christina Hayes.
“This opportunity to increase farmers’ market days also means giving people more access to healthy foods which is part of the Health Department’s Chronic Disease Risk Reduction program work” said Janel Rose. “We invite local vendors to contact us about participating at the June Jaunt events and the Summer Street Stroll Farmers’ Market”. There will be no charge for participating vendors for the Farmers Market but everyone will need to register to receive an assigned and approved vendor space.
Contact Christina Hayes at city offices (620-793-4111 or email chayes@greatbendks.net) for vendor information for June Jaunt and Janel Rose at Barton County Health Department (620-793-1902 or email health@bartoncounty.org ) for registration and application for the Summer Street Stroll Farmers’ Market.