10/5/2015
MyStateline.com

ROCKFORD A large crowd braves the chilly October weather to pack the new pavilion on Water Street for the last city market of the year. The 16 new vendors and the 31% increase in attendance have city market officials are calling this season a success. With the addition of the new pavilion, which replaced the old Water Street parking deck, market goers don't have to travel as far to visit vendors. "We used to have upstairs and downstairs at the market, (and) now everyone's on the same level,” Cathy McDermott from Rock River Development said. “(And) they can hear the music better. There's more of a better flow in and out for the patrons and the vendors in the pavilion." Vendors like Phil Raines, who sells products made from his bee farm in Davis say the pavilion has created a more friendly traffic pattern for those booths located next to it. "We used to be upstairs on top of the deck when they had it and now that we're downstairs where (there’s) a very nice traffic flow of people walking through,” Raines said. “The music is very nice. People will hang out there and then they'll just kind of meander around. It works out very well." And those who attend market regularly say the pavilion gives the event character, makes it easily visible from the street, and shows that's it's not going away. "It just makes it seem more of a mainstay thing that's (going to) be around for a while and you know it's (going to) be here every Friday,” Britney Dunnavan, who been to the market several times this year, said. “So you're not worried about the weather you're just ready to come down and enjoy it, whatever the weather may be." "The entire Rock River Valley comes to this market now,” Raines added. “We're known in the Chicago (and) Dubuque area, and we see our customers we see our friends (and) we see neighbors, and the people that are coming out here are really enjoying the market. We're looking forward to an even better season next year." If you'd like to help make Rockford City Market better, you can take a quick survey at rockfordcitymarket.com.


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