Latest / Inside West Palm Beach / TOP 5 TIPS for enjoying the WPB GreenMarket
Transcript
- 0:09Welcome to the City Center podcast from West Palm Beach,
- 0:12Florida.
- 0:13I'm Jerry Marcelo.
- 0:15The West Palm Beach Green Market is a weekly event that has become a big part of the city's identity and it's no wonder with over 100 vendors and many many visitors.
- 0:26The green market is a place to eat,
- 0:28drink,
- 0:28buy wonderful products and share paradise with hundreds of your closest friends.
- 0:34Now,
- 0:34it's your chance to help the green market reach a very special kind of national recognition.
- 0:40Joining me today to talk about it is Mary Pinnock,
- 0:43marketing and community events manager for the city of West Palm Beach and Angela Poco community events supervisor for the city's parks and recreation department.
- 0:52Mary and Angela.
- 0:53Welcome Jerry Jerry.
- 0:56Hey,
- 0:56listen.
- 0:57Uh let's start with a brief look back at where the green market first got started and how it grew into what it is today.
- 1:04So it's hard to believe.
- 1:05But we are at the tail end of our 29th season of the West Palm Beach Green Market,
- 1:10right?
- 1:11So way back when uh former mayor Nancy Graham had a vision to have a weekly market in West Palm Beach and at that time,
- 1:19there were no,
- 1:20we really had no competition at the time.
- 1:22I don't think there was any.
- 1:24And,
- 1:24uh,
- 1:24it started in the old parking lot of the former City Hall with 13 vendors and vendors.
- 1:32And the only produce we had,
- 1:34I have to be truthful and tell you that we went to Publix the night before and purchased because we had no farmers back then.
- 1:39Thank goodness we do now.
- 1:42And so it,
- 1:43it,
- 1:43it obviously had some,
- 1:45you know,
- 1:46great traction.
- 1:47And week after week more and more people came.
- 1:49Absolutely.
- 1:50We've grown from a small market of,
- 1:53I think we literally had 13 vendors,
- 1:55day 1 to 100 and 25 vendors that really scramble to be in the market.
- 2:01It's um it's,
- 2:02it's turned out to be a very prestigious market for them to do.
- 2:05I understand it.
- 2:06It's a real competition to be a part of this.
- 2:08Yeah,
- 2:09but the fun part was um we moved locations from being at Old City Hall lot.
- 2:15That was when I joined.
- 2:17We moved to the beautiful Rno waterfront and we started there with 60 vendors and from there,
- 2:24as Mary said,
- 2:25we are now at 100 and 25 with a wait list of people to get in.
- 2:29So that's amazing.
- 2:30And,
- 2:31and obviously,
- 2:31it's become very,
- 2:32very popular.
- 2:33You,
- 2:33you all have won awards over the years and now we're talking about a very prestigious award.
- 2:39Can you tell us a little bit about that.
- 2:40Absolutely.
- 2:41We,
- 2:42um,
- 2:42we're very pleased to say that for the past three years we have won the USA today's 10 best farmers market for the nation.
- 2:52Um,
- 2:53it's quite a privilege for three years in the running three years in a row against every green market in the country.
- 3:00Pretty,
- 3:00pretty big odds,
- 3:01huh?
- 3:02And now we're going for four.
- 3:04Totally.
- 3:04Going for four.
- 3:05We're going to score four.
- 3:07We hope so.
- 3:08We'll be talking about more about how people can vote and help you guys become the 4th,
- 3:134th,
- 3:144th Pete.
- 3:15I don't know what the actual quad winner maybe.
- 3:18I don't know.
- 3:19But we're gonna go see if we can work that out.
- 3:20We're gonna tell people how to do that in just a minute.
- 3:22But what we're really here to do is to talk about and sort of give a user's guide.
- 3:27You guys know the,
- 3:28the green,
- 3:29the green market inside and out.
- 3:31What are the top tips for having the best time when you go to the green market?
- 3:36Well,
- 3:37there definitely are some tips.
- 3:38Um,
- 3:39we are a very busy market.
- 3:41We're happy to say,
- 3:42which is one of the reasons I think we have 100 and 25 vendors because it's,
- 3:46it's very lucrative for them as small businesses to be out here.
- 3:51So,
- 3:51one of the first things that we like to say to do is there are 100 and 25 vendors on the waterfront is to check out the map in advance in the vendor list on our website.
- 4:02So,
- 4:02you know,
- 4:02it's a snap to check that map.
- 4:04You can just go right online in advance.
- 4:06And if you have favorites,
- 4:08you can see where they're at.
- 4:09If you're,
- 4:09we hope you're not in a hurry.
- 4:11But if you're in a hurry,
- 4:12you can,
- 4:12you know,
- 4:13get in there and hit them as quickly as possible.
- 4:15And otherwise you can just really create your own little path for the day.
- 4:19Or if you've got all day for goodness sake,
- 4:21come down and just saunter through through it all and,
- 4:24and end with a nice uh set of music on the waterfront that we have as well.
- 4:29Fantastic.
- 4:29What,
- 4:30where is that map located?
- 4:32So it's on W pb.org/events and then you just click the little green market button and it comes,
- 4:39you'll see it right there in the vendor.
- 4:41Very cool.
- 4:42Tw pb.org/events.
- 4:46I'm writing that down.
- 4:47Ok.
- 4:48So we've talked about one,
- 4:49let me quick aside before we move on,
- 4:52we've talked a little bit about the vendors and you've got how many this year?
- 4:54100 and 100 and 2500 and 25.
- 4:57The competition is fierce.
- 4:59How do you select these,
- 5:01these vendors?
- 5:04You know,
- 5:04it's funny because the Angela is laughing too.
- 5:06We,
- 5:06we have a Shark Tank experience.
- 5:09Um Literally because we had,
- 5:10what do we have like over 300 didn't we apply.
- 5:14Yeah,
- 5:14there were,
- 5:15there were over 300.
- 5:16So the first thing that we have to do is go through those applications and make sure they're a category that the green market has in it because we don't,
- 5:25we don't handle arts and crafts.
- 5:27We are,
- 5:27uh,
- 5:27we try to be a pretty pure green market and then we schedule 2 to 3 days in,
- 5:34um,
- 5:35a location off site from City Hall to have up to five independent judges that have nothing to do with the city or us.
- 5:44We don't judge the vendors.
- 5:46The vendors are a five minute time slot.
- 5:48We do it by category and they literally shark tank.
- 5:52They come in with their samples and their,
- 5:55their pitch and um,
- 5:57the judges score them and the best in each category get in.
- 6:01And it's,
- 6:02um,
- 6:02it's great for us too.
- 6:03It gives us full knowledge before the market of who's gonna be in our market.
- 6:08I mean,
- 6:08you,
- 6:08you know,
- 6:08if you are on site and you see,
- 6:10well,
- 6:10that's not what you presented.
- 6:13You know,
- 6:13we know we know all about our vendors before they get there.
- 6:16It helps us gather the information too because it is done through a software program.
- 6:21So it takes all the human error out of the process.
- 6:24Um So,
- 6:25you know,
- 6:25it,
- 6:25they really have to do their homework and put all the effort in,
- 6:29in the beginning to identify themselves as a vendor with their background.
- 6:34Information.
- 6:35So it helps the judging process along and it gives the judges a little heads up as to what their questions might be because we try to pick people that are um more better suited for events or food and beverage.
- 6:49So that's their area of expertise.
- 6:50So it's a real testimony to the success and,
- 6:54and high expectations of the green market that your selection process is so fastidious and the people who want to be there really,
- 7:03really,
- 7:03really want to be there.
- 7:04I do.
- 7:04It's a,
- 7:05it's a big effort and I should say we do give extra points for West Palm Beach based residents businesses.
- 7:12Um If you've been in the market in the past,
- 7:14you get a little extra points there too because we do,
- 7:18we do know that um continuity is important as well,
- 7:21but we also know that new vendors are,
- 7:22are very important and we love seeing the new things like every year.
- 7:27There's something that we're like,
- 7:28Paul.
- 7:28We've never seen that before.
- 7:29Yeah.
- 7:30Ok.
- 7:31So tip number two,
- 7:32tell us,
- 7:34well,
- 7:34this one,
- 7:35this one I'm super excited about.
- 7:38Um we now produce a master chef showcase and that started this year.
- 7:44We did a one off about four years ago or 2019,
- 7:47just a quick one on site.
- 7:50And um as we've been growing and the amount of unique raw talent that's at that market in general would blow your mind if you knew what some of those vendors do for a living outside of just being a vendor.
- 8:04But the culinary talent that's there is incredible not to mention just West Palm Beach in general.
- 8:11I mean,
- 8:11we have some James Beard winners in,
- 8:14in our,
- 8:15in our city,
- 8:16our local restaurants and um different catering people.
- 8:19And it was a great way to showcase what West Palm Beach has in general.
- 8:24And we started with 12 individual chefs that were either green market vendors,
- 8:29uh local merchant restaurants or um caterers for the West Palm Beach area.
- 8:36We started with 12 and we broke them down into brackets,
- 8:39three competed each month and then we got down to the two semifinal round and now April 6th,
- 8:45we're looking to do our final chef showcase.
- 8:48So that's pretty exciting.
- 8:50So for the benefit of folks who haven't been to a showcase,
- 8:53what exactly will they can they expect?
- 8:55What will they see?
- 8:56I have to tell you,
- 8:57it is amazing to watch them on site.
- 8:59Um If you've ever watched like chopped chef or you know,
- 9:02chopped,
- 9:03it is just that um we provide the protein and we provide them with the cuisine type.
- 9:11So what's going to be Italian?
- 9:14And we picked chicken,
- 9:15we would,
- 9:16everything has to be done on site.
- 9:18They can't prefabricate anything prior to all the chopping,
- 9:21the dicing,
- 9:22everything the sauces has to be done on site.
- 9:25They have 45 minutes and we have again,
- 9:28a panel of judges,
- 9:29not city related usually.
- 9:32Um,
- 9:32occasionally we have a couple of special guests but,
- 9:34um,
- 9:34it's a lot of fun.
- 9:35They have 45 minutes to produce a small plate with a full entree.
- 9:41So that's great.
- 9:43So,
- 9:44is there a specific time this happens or is it?
- 9:46Yeah,
- 9:47so 1130 it's the first Saturday of every month and it's at 1130 like I said,
- 9:52they wrap it up at 1215.
- 9:54We literally say you're done,
- 9:56put your plates down,
- 9:58we're done.
- 9:58Um,
- 9:59so it's,
- 10:00it's been an experience just to watch it grow.
- 10:02And I will tell you,
- 10:04there is not an empty seat in the house because we do put out spectator chairs and you learn a lot about their cooking skills.
- 10:11Um,
- 10:11you know,
- 10:12we have it on our website that tells you about their culinary background.
- 10:15Um,
- 10:16and it's just,
- 10:17it's really neat to watch them and a lot of them know each other.
- 10:20So they have a lot of fun with the banter back and forth and it's,
- 10:24it's a great experience.
- 10:25Now,
- 10:25do people who want to see this?
- 10:26Do they have to register any place or is it?
- 10:28That's one of the things right now that you can just walk up,
- 10:31sit down and enjoy and like I said,
- 10:34it's been,
- 10:35it's been well received and,
- 10:37um,
- 10:38the meals that have come out of that have just been off the chain.
- 10:43Um,
- 10:43they really do bring it to win it.
- 10:45And they're serious.
- 10:46But the nice thing too is um they're very conscious of our green market and they try to get products that um our vendors are selling.
- 10:56So,
- 10:57you know,
- 10:57it's interesting because they'll make a mention.
- 10:59This was from independent seafood,
- 11:01this was from Palm Beach Salt.
- 11:03This was from Jerry's,
- 11:04you know,
- 11:05farm fresh produce and it helps the people or the Spectators that are watching go.
- 11:10Oh,
- 11:10I can get that at the green market and that's not only good for our vendors,
- 11:16but it's,
- 11:16it's just a great tie in to see what you can do.
- 11:19Well,
- 11:19how cool is that?
- 11:20You basically watch a cooking show,
- 11:21then you can get up from your seat and go get the ingredients right there.
- 11:25Absolutely.
- 11:26It's very inspiring even for those of us that could never contribute in that manner.
- 11:31I,
- 11:31I'm,
- 11:32I'm,
- 11:32I think I'm a member of that particular group.
- 11:35That is very exciting.
- 11:36Ok.
- 11:36So that is the first Saturday of every month,
- 11:39right around 1130.
- 11:41Did you say it starts at 1130 1130?
- 11:43And then with that,
- 11:45you know,
- 11:45we were thinking of other ways.
- 11:46Ok.
- 11:47Our vendors have so much to offer,
- 11:49not just a product,
- 11:51but a lot of times when you're going and you're shopping with certain vendor,
- 11:54they're giving you tips or they're telling you how to do something or how to use the product.
- 11:59And we wanted to take that one step further and be able to offer different classes or sessions for our vendors or for our vendors to produce and for our customers to be able to,
- 12:11um,
- 12:12attend.
- 12:13Um,
- 12:13you know,
- 12:14and the ones that have really stepped forward and done it.
- 12:17It's been awesome.
- 12:19We've done casual ones to like paint and sip that do highlight,
- 12:23you know,
- 12:24the beautiful waterfront and the scenery around it.
- 12:27But,
- 12:27um,
- 12:28how to care for your orchids.
- 12:30We did one on how to make salad dressings from olive oil,
- 12:33how to infuse your own salt.
- 12:35Um And we did do some fun ones for,
- 12:37you know,
- 12:37the foodies that we did a beer and wine tasting where you could pair up with.
- 12:41Of course,
- 12:42the vendors,
- 12:43we paired them up with different foods that showcase the vendors culinary skills and that's weekly for the most part.
- 12:51So that's been a big hit and you sign up for those in advance.
- 12:55So you need to check our website and see they sell out quick and we do go through event,
- 13:00right?
- 13:00Because it's the easiest way to do it.
- 13:02But there's a link right on,
- 13:03on our website that brings you right there and those reservations would be free or do people have to pay for them?
- 13:08Um People do,
- 13:10there's usually a small fee for them and depending on what they are,
- 13:13we did a Charcuterie 11 time and that was a little more costly.
- 13:16But again,
- 13:17the products that go into it.
- 13:19Are that and everybody walked away,
- 13:21so happy and they walked away with a beautiful charcuterie tray.
- 13:24So super,
- 13:26it was a lot of fun.
- 13:26Super cool,
- 13:27fun,
- 13:28fun,
- 13:28fun.
- 13:28Ok,
- 13:29so we've gone through two fabulous tips.
- 13:31What's number three?
- 13:32Well,
- 13:32I think I'm taking most of the food things because that's her.
- 13:36She's the foodie in the group that is actually a chef.
- 13:39So my love language.
- 13:41Um,
- 13:41I have a food and beverage background as well.
- 13:43Um,
- 13:43you gotta come hungry for this,
- 13:45whatever you do.
- 13:47Um,
- 13:47it's down there for you.
- 13:48You know,
- 13:49you can get a gourmet crab cake and eat it on site.
- 13:52You can also take that crab cake home so you can get it hot or cold.
- 13:56Um,
- 13:56every type of beverage you can possibly imagine there's,
- 13:59you know,
- 13:59five different coffee vendors,
- 14:01but every single one is different and has something different to offer.
- 14:04Um,
- 14:05but we've got Korean barbecue empanadas brisket.
- 14:09They've got,
- 14:10we've got amazing barbecue vendors and they have,
- 14:13you know,
- 14:14breakfast bowls and,
- 14:16um,
- 14:16you can even get soup at our market.
- 14:18So if there,
- 14:19if you leave hungry and for all of us,
- 14:23that are true foodies you really want the pastries because for the love of pastries it is down there,
- 14:30they have croissants and doughnuts and bagels and quiche.
- 14:35I don't even get me started if I grazed my way through the green market.
- 14:40I,
- 14:40I think you'd have to roll me out of there.
- 14:43So on the way to the green market,
- 14:45we do not stop at the breakfast joint.
- 14:47We go straight to the green market.
- 14:48Absolutely not you eat there is there coffee there 100%?
- 14:55There's five different coffee vendors that I can think of off the top of my head.
- 14:59But not only that there's tea vendors as well.
- 15:01So if you're not coffee,
- 15:02there's fresh juice.
- 15:04Um So there's something literally for everyone.
- 15:09Ok,
- 15:10there is three.
- 15:11I'm getting hungry,
- 15:12just listen to this,
- 15:13but not to mention your furry friends.
- 15:16There's even things for them.
- 15:17We have four different dog food or treat vendor on site.
- 15:23So not only do you get to eat but your four leg fur friend gets,
- 15:26I don't hopefully not stealing thunder from no,
- 15:29the tips it's bring your pet to the green market is almost a tradition.
- 15:34Now,
- 15:34is it not?
- 15:35Well,
- 15:35it is.
- 15:36I mean,
- 15:36the next thing I was gonna talk about is fun in the sun and you certainly can bring your furry friend.
- 15:42Uh My own Captain Morgan,
- 15:45the black lab is there every single week with my,
- 15:48my husband.
- 15:48We asked to be on a short leash and obviously to pay attention to their hydration needs.
- 15:54Uh We do have water locations on site too.
- 15:57Um Pet friendly,
- 15:59you wanna make sure.
- 16:00And I speak as a big uh sun prevention.
- 16:05A person talks about it all the time.
- 16:08Make sure you bring your or wear your sunscreen because the intercoastal breezes are beautiful out there.
- 16:14But we do get,
- 16:15we,
- 16:15we hope for the rays.
- 16:16We like,
- 16:17we like the days with the rays,
- 16:19right?
- 16:19Um,
- 16:20the hat and we actually have some great green market hats.
- 16:24We still have those.
- 16:25We didn't sell out quite yet.
- 16:26Um,
- 16:27which I usually wear mine because again,
- 16:30I,
- 16:30what I do is outdoors most of the time.
- 16:32So I need to be careful and then we have,
- 16:34every single week we have entertainment and the Joe Dimaggio's children's health and specialty center entertainment zone.
- 16:43So a lot of people,
- 16:44they do their shopping,
- 16:45they get that,
- 16:46they get that taken care of for the majority,
- 16:48they get their smash burger or their croissant or their cider doughnuts or whatever it is that they're gonna get and then they go find a place in the shade and they listen to the entertainment.
- 17:00And so,
- 17:00and then bring yourself a big old shopping bag because there's 100 and 25 vendors and you're gonna fill that up very,
- 17:07very quickly.
- 17:08So,
- 17:08what I'm hearing here is that it's not drop into the green market,
- 17:12spend 15 minutes and then parachute out.
- 17:15You could be there all day.
- 17:17Yeah,
- 17:17we're not the grocery store and most people do.
- 17:20You see them with their kids?
- 17:22And they're sitting in the great lawn they're eating.
- 17:25Um,
- 17:25you know,
- 17:26and we've definitely taken on the role,
- 17:28um,
- 17:28with helping our sustainable footprint.
- 17:31Um We do encourage people to bring their own bags or grab a green market bag.
- 17:36But you do,
- 17:36you see them down there and they're enjoying it for everything that they can out of the market.
- 17:41And I mean,
- 17:42what's not to enjoy on that waterfront and then we also see them,
- 17:45you know,
- 17:45sometimes maybe they're not quite full and they're up the street and they're having lunch and our merchants are,
- 17:51are brick and mortars,
- 17:52which are also super important to us.
- 17:54And,
- 17:55and I should remind too parking.
- 17:57So know before you go with the parking,
- 17:59if you get here,
- 18:00um,
- 18:01if you get here by nine,
- 18:02you're usually fine to park for free in the city Center garage,
- 18:08which is here at City Hall or the Clematis Garage,
- 18:10which is Banyon just to the west of Quadrille.
- 18:14Um,
- 18:14it's free from 9 to 1.
- 18:16So,
- 18:17you know,
- 18:18and,
- 18:18um,
- 18:19we just suggest you get here early because there's a lot of people that want to see the number one market in the country that we,
- 18:25it fills up.
- 18:26Hope stays that way.
- 18:27There you go.
- 18:28Well,
- 18:29I've sort of lost count.
- 18:30I mean,
- 18:30I think we,
- 18:31we think we got five,
- 18:32we might even have six or seven.
- 18:33Is there anything else that we need to cover?
- 18:35I,
- 18:36I think we have tipped you very well.
- 18:38I think we have got a absolute playbook of having the best time down at the green market.
- 18:43And once again,
- 18:44let's remind folks,
- 18:45you guys will be now uh in a competition for being the number one green market in the United States.
- 18:53Uh What's,
- 18:54what's the organization again,
- 18:56USA today,
- 18:57USA today?
- 18:5810 best.
- 18:59Ok.
- 18:59So,
- 19:00and this is not just the first or second time we're now going for the fourth time in a row that we have been going for or might,
- 19:08might hopefully win best green market in the,
- 19:10in the,
- 19:11in the USA.
- 19:13So people at home can vote.
- 19:15How do,
- 19:15how will they get to be able to vote?
- 19:17So I think the easiest way to do it is to watch our social media green market has Instagram Facebook so does events W PB that's our overall uh We will be blasting this out very frequently and it'll link right to the voting location and don't forget we have that address gonna be,
- 19:38it's gonna be on the website,
- 19:40the city website W pb.org and I can pretty sure that if you just going to the main page towards the top,
- 19:46you'll see a direct link as well as going to the community events page which is located W pb.org/events.
- 19:54There you are.
- 19:55So we are asking folks to help us out.
- 19:57We're going for number four here.
- 19:59We need every vote possible.
- 20:01Now through what they,
- 20:04I have to check that Jemma have to.
- 20:10Oh,
- 20:10that's OK.
- 20:10So I'm gonna skip that part.
- 20:12I come back in and say we'll come back,
- 20:14I'll come back and say we'll have signage on site with a QR QR code.
- 20:18You can add that in too.
- 20:19All right.
- 20:20Well,
- 20:20I matter of fact,
- 20:21I jump in there and on top of that,
- 20:23you guys will have basically signage at,
- 20:26at the green market as well.
- 20:27We sure will.
- 20:28We'll have uh signage right at the green market with a QR code.
- 20:31Super easy to connect right to the voting location.
- 20:35And we encourage you to vote on all your appliances,
- 20:39all your technological appliances every single day.
- 20:44Yes,
- 20:44you can vote every day so you can help us out.
- 20:47So we're going for four here.
- 20:49It's pretty exciting.
- 20:50Well,
- 20:51well deserved too.
- 20:52What an amazing place and what amazing event you guys have done a fantastic things to make the green market.
- 20:58Basically a shining jewel for the city of West Palm Beach.
- 21:01Thank you so much.
- 21:02Thank you.
- 21:02Thank you and thank you for listening to this podcast direct from City Hall in West Palm Beach,
- 21:07Florida.
- 21:08We hope you've enjoyed our conversation today and if you did,
- 21:11please subscribe and let your friends know we're here.
- 21:15We also wanna hear from you.
- 21:16Tell us what topics you'd like to know more about.
- 21:19Drop us a line at podcast at W pb.org.
- 21:23The City Center podcast is a production of the City of West Palm Beach Communications Department.
- 21:29I'm Jerry Marcelo.
- 21:30We'll see you next time.