OPPORTUNITY!

Join the Lollapalooza Farmers' Market this July and August

They are offering an arena at each concert for local farmers to sell ready-to-eat produce to an eclectic (not to mention captive!) audience while at the same time educating that audience about the importance of buying local and organic.

Lollapalooza is an all day music festival and most fans come early and stay all day. Each show is expected to have between 15,000 and 30,000 hungry patrons per day. And the goal is to feature local, organic farmers and their produce at each of the tour stops -- that's 31 cities across the USA. You may already be farming or selling near a tour stop -- check the schedule in the box at left

As a conscientious farmer and New Farm enthusiast, you are already working to create a healthy planet. Lollapalooza is hoping to help educate concert-goers about the importance of organic farming and buying local by providing a venue for farmers to sell healthy, good tasting fresh products.

Join the farmers already signed up for the Lollapalooza Farmers' Market in your area. The list is currently small and your help is needed to make this organic initiative a local and national success.

STOCKING YOUR STAND

You are welcome to sell anything that's organic, good tasting and ready-to-eat. Summer fruits are perfect as well as nuts, fresh roasted corn on the cob, homemade sweets, pies and cookies. Bring fresh strawberries, grapes, nectarines, cherries, blackberries, watermelon -- whatever is in-season and can be eaten on the run.

Set up just as if you were selling at your local market. Most spaces will be 10' X 10'. Lollapalooza encourages farmers, as well as other vendors, to bring their own small table, tent, canopies, etc. to enhance the presentation. They can provide you with one table on which to sell your products if you are in desperate need. (Such arrangements must be made ahead of time.)

Lollapalooza is also making an effort to reduce the waste produced at each show. Please limit the disposable items (napkins, plastic utensils, cups, etc.) you use with your goods. The organizers will provide you with resources to obtain biodegradable and recyclable utensils and paper products if you wish.

DID YOU SAY ALL DAY?

Although Lollapalooza is an event that runs all day and into the night, the hours of the organic farmers' market will be Noon to 6:00 pm daily (exact time will vary slightly from show to show.) You will be able to set up approximately three hours before the show begins.

The day rate to vend at the Organic Farmers' Market is $50 and no commission or percentage will be taken on any goods sold. In fact, the concert organizers invite both local and national nonprofits working on issues touching family farms, organic farming, and pesticide reform to table at Lollapalooza. Please pass along the contact information below if you have an organization in mind that fits the bill.

For more information on participating in the farmers' market, visit Local Harvest at www.localharvest.org/lollapalooza.jsp. To sign up immediately, contact Claudette Silver at cmsilver@lollapalooza.com.