Bloomington Farmer's Market

Despite the rainy weather and overcast skies, many people came to participate in Bloomington's Community Farmer's Market on Saturday morning.  Upon our arrival, my group was immediately struck by how diverse the group of people was.  We saw vendors, customers, musicians, and artists of all ages, and they all seemed to be enjoying themselves.  Everyone we passed was friendly and outgoing, and always prepared to strike up a conversation.

The market was divided into sections based on what products were being sold.  When we first walked in, we saw vendors selling fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as other farm goods such as honey, soap, and cheese.  In many cases, the stands were being operated by a whole family; children would be helping to set up the displays or retrieve products for customers.  Some vendors even brought their pets.  The back portion of the market, just outside of the city hall, was dedicated to artwork and crafts.  Many of the vendors in this area were working on crafts as they sat and waited for customers.  I saw two women putting together necklaces and, as they finished, they would set them out on their displays.  Another section of the market was filled with vendors selling baked goods.  As it was morning, many people were buying coffee and pastries that they would then eat or drink as they walked through the rest of the market.  There was also another section, Info Alley, in which many different community and political organizations set up booths to reach out to Bloomington residents.

A few local musicians also came to the market to perform for the crowds of people.  While some set up closer to the borders of the market to play for people walking by, others chose more central locations and ended up drawing larger crowds of onlookers.  I noticed that families, especially those with young children, were particularly drawn to these performers, as they provided entertainment for the kids who may not have been as interested in the buying and selling of produce.  Some of the children even danced around in front of the performers as their parents stood by and watched appreciatively.

The nature of the farmer's market can be compared to participatory music because everyone present was involved in the market in some way, and I could see connections being made the entire time I was there.  Vendors who either knew each other from past Saturdays or who had met while setting up that morning were joking around with one another and with each of their customers.  Another way in which it was similar to participatory music was that everyone present at the market was expected to participate in some way.  Whether they participated by buying, selling, or simply by talking to new people, everyone played some small role when they were there.