The Best Weekly Markets in the Southeast

Article by Michael Field

RED STICK FARMERS MARKET - BATON ROUGE, LA

The Red Stick Farmers Market in Baton Rouge provides over 50 vendors all year round, bustling marketplace every Saturday in downtown Baton Rouge, LA. Originally started in 1996, the market was the result of a unique master’s thesis by Chris Campany under the direction of LSU Landscapce Architecture Professor Suzanne Turner. That same year, the non-profit BREADA was formed to administer the market and more broadly increase economic opportunities for LA’s food producers.

Photo Credit: Red Stick Farmers Market

Originally held on a surface lot at St Louis Street and North Boulevard, the market relocated in 2002 as a result of a major plan to revitalize downtown Baton Rouge called 1996 Plan Baton Rouge. Working in conjunction with the Baton Rouge Area Foundation and the State of LA, BREADA would undergo a major expansion of their operation in order to create a dynamic public marketplace for downtown Baton Rouge.

Photo Credit: Red Stick Farmers Market

As part of this change, the Red Stick Farmers Market would relocate to 5th Avenue and Main Street. In addition, BREADA opened a permanent public marketplace on the first level of the Galvez parking garage, also on the corner of Main Street and 5th Avenue, called the Main Street Market. Main Street Market features locally-owned restaurants and specialty shops and is open during breakfast and lunch hours from Monday through Saturday. On Saturdays, Main Street Market combines with the Red Stick Farmers Market to create a unique indoor and outdoor community marketspace.

Photo Credit: Red Stick Farmers Market

BREADA receives about half of its revenues from vendor fees, while the non-profit’s remaining operational and capital expenditures are funded by public and private grants. BREADA maintains a management agreement with Lasalle-Galvez LLC to manage the space known as the Main Street Market, and Lasalle-Galvez LLC occasionally reimburses costs to maintain the area in order to keep the space in marketable condition. A redesign of the Main Street Market was undertaken by Commercial Design Interiors Group and a group of students from LSU’s College of Art and Design, with partial funding from the Office of State Buildings.

Photo Credit: Red Stick Farmers Market

BREADA also operates two seasonal, mid-week markets in underserved neighborhoods, in addition to supporting a mobile market/food truck made possible in 2012 under the direction of Kip Holden, Mayor-President of Baton Rouge. BREADA reports that over 1.2 million people annually benefit from the organization’s various programs.

Article by Mike Fields