MAY JUNE 2017
The Saturday Morning Market By Constance Hilton If you drive down 1 st Street (south east) on a Saturday morning, you will notice a lot of locals and visitors at what you may think is a festival. With the aroma of cooked onions floating through the air and the melodies of live music happening, it must be a festival. But you’d be wrong. Welcome to The Saturday Morning Market in downtown St. Petersburg! “The St. Petersburg Market is successful because we blend elements of what are typical parts of a festival formula with the market formula,” Mark Johnson, the Market Director explains. “By the end of the second year we were the largest market in the Tampa Bay area and by the end of the third we were the largest in the state of Florida. By the end of the fifth year we were the largest in the south east and west. We are one of the best markets in the country. By the feel of the place, there isn’t another market like this!” music provides, provides a backdrop that goes ‘I feel happy! This is a friendly place!’ The style of music that have been included in past markets include The Urban Gypsies, The Empty Hats, The Gulf Coast Jazz Band and Bus Stop. Another thing is we have three times more seating space than any other market in the United States! We also have the widest choice of ready to eat food and have stand up tables as well. BB: Tell us more about the food! Please. MJ: Well, the variety of food that you can eat right now is the widest selection of ready-to-eat food of any market in the United States. BB: So what makes a market like this successful? MJ: There are very few markets that have live music. This is a combination of full bands, not just duos – and we choose the music extremely carefully to set the tone for the whole place. The mood that the 22 BUZZ Magazine May-June 2017
. Unlike most market where you shop, get your produce and leave, here people know they are going to get something to eat and the result of that is that they spend over an hour here. And the result of that is that you know you’re going to run into friends! BB: How do you choose your vendors? MJ: To vend here is kind of like applying to be on the grocery store shelf. It’s all about the mix of products. If you want to be a jewelry vendor well, I have 200 applicants for that. But if you’re selling art or a food product that you can’t buy from a specialty store, I’m all over it. But you’ve got to be good, unusual, execute well - because this is the best vending spot in Central Florida and the hardest place to get in in Central Florida. BB: Let’s talk more about the music…. Every Saturday I can come here and listen to a new band? MJ: Oh, absolutely! I have over a dozen bands that I’ve carefully vetted and they have filled out the calendar! Furthermore, when the bands take their 15 minute break – on any given Saturday - I might have another band perform, like the St. Pete Opera. BB: You move the festival to Williams Park in the summer… what can you share about that? MJ: It’s about 50 vendors and a thousand customers. There isn’t live music though. The whole point of the summer market is to stay alive and to stay true to our customers. Send comments on this story to comments@baybuzz.org BUZZ Magazine May-June 2017 23
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- Page 7 and 8: CONTENTS LOCAL MUSIC Chris Sgamatto
- Page 9 and 10: Sgammato Student Showcase: Homegrow
- Page 11 and 12: custom bike is designed using a par
- Page 13 and 14: music you really enjoy, that’s co
- Page 15 and 16: learn.” Jackie informed us. “We
- Page 17 and 18: Birthday’s Rock! Grant Peeples -
- Page 19 and 20: Holey Miss Moley is happy to announ
- Page 21: global center for art and studying
- Page 25 and 26: Meeting the members of The Rosewood
- Page 27 and 28: 27 BUZZ Magazine May-June 2017
- Page 29 and 30: Safety Harbor Songfest 2 Days! Live
- Page 31 and 32: Trevor Green From California, Trevo
- Page 33 and 34: The Accidentals The Accidentals is
- Page 35 and 36: Chasing Lovely Chloe and Taylor are
- Page 37 and 38: The Backtrack Blues Band Interview
- Page 39 and 40: music without blues. It's truly tha
- Page 41 and 42: Powersurge, Noiz, and Men From Eart
- Page 43 and 44: would perform on several occasions
- Page 45 and 46: If you’re a fan of the beach, a l
- Page 47 and 48: hot pizza. People drive from Orland
- Page 49 and 50: 4 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar 2 Tbsp Hone
- Page 51 and 52: Tomato Spinach Chicken Spaghetti 28
- Page 53 and 54: Rock Camp June 5th - June 9th Disne
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The Saturday Morning Market<br />
By Constance Hilton<br />
If you drive down 1 st Street (south east) on a Saturday<br />
morning, you will notice a lot of locals and visitors<br />
at what you may think is a festival. With the aroma<br />
of cooked onions floating through the air and the<br />
melodies of live music happening, it must be a<br />
festival. But you’d be wrong. Welcome to The<br />
Saturday Morning Market in downtown St.<br />
Petersburg!<br />
“The St. Petersburg Market is successful because we<br />
blend elements of what are typical parts of a festival<br />
formula with the market formula,” Mark Johnson,<br />
the Market Director explains. “By the end of the<br />
second year we were the largest market in the Tampa<br />
Bay area and by the end of the third we were the<br />
largest in the state of Florida. By the end of the fifth<br />
year we were the largest in the south east and west.<br />
We are one of the best markets in the country. By<br />
the feel of the place, there isn’t another market like<br />
this!”<br />
music provides, provides a backdrop that goes ‘I feel<br />
happy! This is a friendly place!’<br />
The style of music that have been included in past<br />
markets include The Urban Gypsies, The Empty Hats,<br />
The Gulf Coast Jazz Band and Bus Stop.<br />
Another thing is we have three times more seating<br />
space than any other market in the United States!<br />
We also have the widest choice of ready to eat food<br />
and have stand up tables as well.<br />
BB: Tell us more about the food! Please.<br />
MJ: Well, the variety of food that you can eat right<br />
now is the widest selection of ready-to-eat food of<br />
any market in the United States.<br />
BB: So what makes a market like this successful?<br />
MJ: There are very few markets that have live music.<br />
This is a combination of full bands, not just duos –<br />
and we choose the music extremely carefully to set<br />
the tone for the whole place. The mood that the<br />
22 BUZZ Magazine May-June <strong>2017</strong>
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