"The farmers have another outlet to sell their produce without a middleman, our businesses are exposed to more people, and the customers get fresh, affordable food," said Collingswood Mayor Jim Maley, whose town is host to one of the largest downtown tailgate markets in the Garden State.
These markets - along with the more permanent farmers' markets along many roads - have become increasingly popular across Pennsylvania and New Jersey the last several years. The number in New Jersey grew from 110 last year to 139 this year. Hundreds of downtown tailgate markets also have sprung up in Pennsylvania, though state agriculture officials say the exact number has not been determined. Vendors pay various fees to their home communities.
The markets, typically held on weekends, can be found this year at Headhouse Square at Second and Lombard Streets in Philadelphia; in Havertown, Wilkes-Barre, and Haddonfield; and at scores of other locations across the region. Collingswood holds its market every Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon, May through Thanksgiving.
"It has become a social," Maley said. "You don't go clubbing Saturday night; you go to the farmers' market Saturday morning. It's the premier event for us."
Many market shoppers end up patronizing businesses and restaurants on nearby Haddon Avenue, the main drag through Collingswood. That is a plus for municipalities struggling for customer traffic during the recession.
"It brings people in from other towns, and the people here love it, too," said Mike DiBartolo, owner of DiBartolo's Bakery in Collingswood. "They can't wait for the opening."
The market is "a good ad for the town," said Kevin Flaim, 48, who operates Flaim Farms in Vineland, N.J., and brought in lettuce, eggplants, scallions, bushed kale, beets, carrots, and other produce in a large refrigerated truck.
