The Madison Public Market is finally set to open on July 23 after more than two decades of funding issues and delays.
The market, the first of its kind in Madison, will be located in the former City Fleet Services building at the corner of East Johnson and First Streets on the city’s east side.
Here’s what you need to know about the Madison Public Market.
When does the Madison Public Market open?
The market is scheduled to open on July 23. It is hosting pop-up events on Wednesday evenings from June 10 to July 1, according to the Cap Times.
How big is the market?
The building’s 45,000 square feet will house 28 permanent vendors and more than a hundred seasonal vendors, according to the market’s website. The facility will also feature a commercial kitchen, floor-to-ceiling windows, and garage doors that can be opened for fresh air in the summer.
The project began as a cooperative enterprise of Wisconsin farmers with backing from the Madison City Council and then Mayor Paul Soglin. It transitioned into the nonprofit Madison Public Market Foundation in 2017, according to the Cap Times.
Why has the Madison Public Market been delayed for so long?
The pandemic and a series of funding shortfalls delayed the project for years, but a new round of county and city funding, in addition to millions in federal pandemic aid, have brought the public market closer to reality, the Cap Times reported.
This summer, it seems Wisconsinites can look forward to exploring the capital city’s latest venue, and maybe even a coffee in the open air.
That is, if the weather holds – and all finally goes according to plan.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Madison’s public market is (finally) scheduled to open. What to know
Reporting by Zachary Suri, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Zachary Suri, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | USA TODAY Network
