Doing it again on the Northbank Riverwalk

News

Staff Writer

The Riverside Arts Market has kicked off its second season and if last year’s inaugural campaign was any indication, the market has established itself as another destination event on the Northbank Riverwalk.

The concept behind the market is simple: offer consumers fresh fruits and vegetables at prices lower than what they might pay retail, present the work of local and regional artists and top it off with live entertainment. Then stage the event every Saturday at the Northbank Riverwalk Artists Square.

Last year’s debut season was considered a strong success.

The market depended initially on word-of-mouth advertising that attracted corporate and private supporters who believed in the idea of a weekly riverfront market and festival.

With even more sponsors this year, Market Director Tony Allegretti said the marketing campaign will be bigger this time around. “You’ll hear a lot about RAM in the next couple of months,” he said.

There are new vendors and services at the market this year, including a bicycle valet service and several new food providers. Part of the market’s management philosophy has changed in terms of how many of a particular type of vendor will be allowed to sell their wares on any given Saturday.

“This year we have really democratized a lot of things,” said Allegretti. “Last year our policy was to limit the number of people who could sell the same thing, but that’s not the case this year. We might have 17 hot dog vendors, but that means we’ll have the best hot dogs. We’ll let the people who come to the market decide what they want.”

Last year more than 1,000 artists requested booth space at RAM. Without that much space available, a panel of art educators and advocates took time after the season to review the artists who applied to determine the 2010 vendors. Allegretti said the criteria were based on their ability to bring one-of-a-kind work to the market. “Having such a great art and talent pool in Jacksonville makes it easy,” he said.

Some things haven’t changed. There’s still free WiFi at RAM and free parking at any surface lot from the market under the Fuller Warren Bridge to the Times-Union Building on Riverside Avenue. Allegretti said expansion plans already are under way. Ideas include seeking permission from the Florida Department of Transportation to add even more art to RAM by having artists paint the columns that support the bridge.

The Riverside Arts Market at Northbank Riverwalk Artists Square is open from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. every Saturday through December. For details about what’s different each week, visit www.riversideartsmarket.com.