Read our Vendor FAQ


 

What are the Market hours, location and dates for the 2011 Season?

The Market will be held every Saturday morning from May 21 through October 29 on Carmel’s Center Green, located adjacent to the new Palladium concert hall. Hours are 8 to 11:30 AM.

How many people attended last summer’s Market?

This past summer, our twelfth season, we averaged 45 vendors per week and had visits from over 50,000 people.

What products are permitted for sale at the Market?

• Only Indiana-grown or produced agricultural products may be sold at the Market. A rare exception may be made for agricultural products that are not grown in Indiana.
• No craft items of any type are allowed.

Are Pets Allowed at the Market?

• Pets are not allowed on the Market grounds in order to protect the health, safety and sanitation of the Market.

Are there other things I might want to know about the Carmel Farmers Market?

• Vendors must reside in Indiana
• Vendors who sell or sample any food for consumption on-site must have a seasonal vendor permit from the Hamilton County Health Department
• Foods prepared off-site must be made in a certified kitchen
• Vendors must provide all their own equipment, including canopies and tables
• New vendors are selected based on the entire range of products they wish to sell at the Market. Those that are selected are given their contracts to sign in late March to mid-April. Vendors are not selected on a first-come, first-served basis, but only on the basis of what we need or don’t need in the Market to keep it fresh, interesting for the visitors and profitable for our vendors.
• At least 50% of the products sold at the Market must be grown and/or produced by the Vendor. The remainder can only be purchased directly from another grower (with the exception of beverages). No products sold at the Market may be purchased from a middleman such as a commission house, food broker or auction. The Market has a vendor Relations Committee that visits our Vendors prior to and during the growing season to make sure this rule is followed. At times the Committee will even ask Vendors for receipts for purchased produce.
• If a vendor cuts, pierces, cold holds or hot holds any edible product they must have a seasonal vendor permit from the Hamilton County Health Department.
• The 2009 Change in Indiana law notwithstanding, if Vendors prepare any food off-site to be sold at the Market that food must be made in a certified kitchen.
• The Carmel Farmers Market was founded and is managed by an all-volunteer board.