Arrangement facilitates market move to Town Center Park on Thursdays
The Wilsonville Rotary Summer Concerts and the Wilsonville Farmers Market will share the use of Town Center Park for the 2024 season, leaders with both community events have announced.
The agreement between the Rotary Club of Wilsonville, which produces the concerts, and the owners of the market will allow the market to relocate to Town Center Park for the entire summer market season, including the four weeks of the Rotary concerts. The market this year will run every Thursday from May 2 through September 5. This year’s Rotary concerts will be held on four Thursdays — July 18 (Johnny Limbo and the Lungnuts), July 25 (Rockit Radio), August 1 (Curtis Salgado) and August 8 (Hit Machine).
“We’re excited to have the concerts and the market sharing the space for those four weeks,” concert co-chairs Curt Kipp and Richard Martens and market organizer Alexis Purcell said in a joint statement. “It just made too much sense. For the four weeks of the Rotary concerts, people will be able to enjoy both the concerts and the market without making a trip across town. What it means is that people will now have even more reasons to come to the market and the concerts and they’ll be able to do both at the same time.”
Up to now, the Rotary concerts (founded in 2002) and the market (founded in 2011) have both operated Thursdays in separate locations. Although it was possible for folks to attend both, the Rotary concerts had a noticeable effect on market attendance during the four weeks the concerts run. At the same time, the market became interested in moving from its former location in Villebois to Town Center Park for its entire season. The market wanted to continue operating Thursdays in the new location, but knew it was important to respect what Rotary has built into Wilsonville’s largest public event over the past 22 years, on the last two Thursdays in July and the first two Thursdays in August.
Rotary and market organizers knew the logistics of the arrangement would require some discussion, and that the change would have implications for the market, the concerts and the Rotary Club. The two sides got together to work out those issues, and an agreement came together.
For the four weeks Town Center Park is shared, Rotary and its concert organizers will program the space to the north side of the park’s water feature, including the stage, the large central lawn, and sponsor booth spaces. The Farmers Market will program the space south of the water feature, and its vendors will be located there. For the other weeks when the Rotary concerts are not running, the Farmers Market will program space throughout the entire park and will bring in musical entertainment those weeks.
Organizers for both were careful to note it’s a co-location, not a merger. The two parties will monitor how the arrangement goes and revisit at the end of the season.
“The market and the concerts are both important community assets,” market and Rotary Concerts leaders stated. “This agreement respects and enhances both. It brings a higher caliber and larger scale of entertainment to the market those four weeks, and it brings a better selection of food and vendors to the summer concerts than there’s been previously, giving concert patrons a lot more choices. We think it’s a win-win and will create a great experience for the concert-and-market-going public.”
For more information about the Wilsonville Rotary Summer Concerts, produced by the Rotary Club of Wilsonville, visit https://www.WilsonvilleConcerts.com. For more information about the Wilsonville Farmers Market, find the market on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/thursdaymarket/.
About the Wilsonville Farmers Market
The Wilsonville Farmers Market began in 2011 and has been operated the last six years by Alexis Purcell, who also operates the Canby Farmers Market, the Farm Spot in Mulino (together with Ramage Farms), and Canby Pioneer Chapel. “I love bringing this event to the community and I am so excited for our new location this season,” Purcell said. “I really hope the people of Wilsonville can come support small businesses. We look forward to a great market season with great food and drinks.”
About Rotary
Rotary brings together a global network of volunteer leaders dedicated to tackling the world’s most pressing humanitarian challenges. Rotary connects 1.2 million members of more than 36,000 Rotary clubs in over 200 countries and geographical areas. Their work improves lives at both the local and international levels, from helping those in need in their own communities to working toward a polio-free world. Through Rotary’s disease treatment and prevention programs, members educate and equip communities to stop the spread of life-threatening diseases like polio, HIV/AIDS, and malaria. For more information, visit Rotary.org
About the Rotary Club of Wilsonville
The Rotary Club of Wilsonville was founded in 1975 and is dedicated to friendship and service projects. The club carries out several signature service projects throughout the year, including the innovative Through A Child’s Eyes program at Coffee Creek Correctional Facility, the annual Wilsonville Rotary Summer Concerts, several Good Eggs omelet and pancake breakfasts throughout the year, the Wilsonville First Citizen awards program, and much more. The club meets weekly, Thursdays at 11:45 a.m. at Black Bear Diner, and has 40 members. Log on to WilsonvilleRotary.com for more information.