Farmers' Market to feature artwork

There is more to peruse than fresh produce at the Bloomington Farmer's Market. The second Saturday of every month, the Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department invites local and regional artists to display, demonstrate and sell their arts at A Fair of the Arts, held in the Showers Civic Plaza next to the Farmers' Market.\n"We have 32 artists each fair," said Leslie Kaiser, community events coordinator for the Parks and Recreation department. "We have an average of 3,000 customers at each Farmers' Market and usually around 1,000 customers will make their way through the art fair."\nKaiser describes the variety of art as ranging from glass to pottery and even jewelry. \nLive entertainment also accompanies guests while they tour the fair, as featured musicians play in the Showers Common.\nThis is the sixth year for A Fair of the Arts. The Farmers' Market began in 1975 in Third Street Park with 23 vendors, eventually outgrowing that location in 1982. \nBetween 1982 and 1998, the market changed locations twice, first moving to the Courthouse Square and then to the parking lot at Sixth and Lincoln streets. \nThe market landed at the Showers complex in 1998, its 24th season. The following year, A Fair of the Arts was born in conjunction with the market.\nA Fair of the Arts gives visitors an opportunity to explore a more diverse selection of wares at the Farmer's Market, in an attempt to find something that appeals to every taste. \nAlthough Bloomington is host to several art fairs, such as last week's Fourth Street Festival of Arts and Crafts, A Fair of the Arts combined with the Bloomington Farmer's Market lends a personality all its own through its ability to offer vendors from 13 Indiana counties.\nA Fair of the Arts will make its next visit the Showers Civic Plaza from 7 a.m. to noon Saturday.