The Sarasota Farmers Market announced it will expand its downtown presence with a midweek market each Wednesday, beginning Nov. 5. Vendors will conduct business in Five Points Park.

Phil Pagano, manager for the market, said a midweek market has been in the works for almost five years. "It was finding the right time and the right spot," he said. "Espeically now with the opening of the new University Town Center, a lot of downtown businesses were getting a little antsy for something to draw people downtown." The entire reason the market was founded 35 years ago, he noted, was to attract more people into the Downtown commerce area.

The new market will include 40 to 45 vendors and will operate 10am-2pm. For now, the midweek market will operate each Wednesday through April, according to Pagano. Like the popular Saturday market, the event will feature both vendors with agricultural products and local restaurateurs offering demonstrations. Pagano did say there would likely be a greater focus on agriculture than arts and crafts vendors. 

The market midweek will be at Five Points in large part because getting clearance to close the street during weekdays is much harder, Pagano said, and the park looks like it will be a great place to do business. He expects there will be plenty of business from people who work downtown and visitors to the region looking for an activity midweek. "It's a good time to visit Downtown and do some shopping," he said.

The Farmers Market will continue the Saturday market from 7am-1pm around the intersection of Main Street and Lemon Avenue in Downtown Sarasota. About 70 vendors have space at the weekend event.