BANGOR – A popular farmers market that debuted last summer at Pickering Square is set to return.

The market’s first day of business will be Memorial Day, according to Sally Bilancia, a city economic development officer who works with the downtown business and residential communities.

The market will continue to operate 1:30-5:30 p.m. Mondays, according to the license agreement approved Wednesday by members of the City Council’s business and economic development committee.

Bilancia said the city is working to find another venue for possible Thursday hours.

Though the market will be an open-air affair, it will move into the nearby Pickering Square parking garage in inclement weather, Bilancia said.

The farmers market was born of the success experienced by vendors during the weekly Outdoor Market sponsored by Downtown Center Corp. It sold out within three hours of its grand opening last August and continued to do well.

During its first year, the market was managed by the Mike and Donna Mionis family of Levant, owners of Donna’s Daily Bread.

This year it will be managed by Bruce Valley of Valley Farms out of Corinna.

When the downtown farmers market started up last summer, City Manager Edward Barrett said most of the produce available at area supermarkets travels 1,500 miles before it makes its way to consumers’ tables.

He said, however, that there was a national movement afoot to go back to eating locally, a trend that could grow given recent hikes in gasoline and diesel prices.

dgagnon@bangordailynews.net

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