More fresh, more often at 2010 Farmers Market

Lovers of fresh produce, colorful flowers, and delicious baked goods can double their pleasure this year at the Suwanee Farmers Market. In addition to its traditional Saturday morning hours, the Suwanee market also will be open Tuesday evenings.

“Our farmers are excited to be able to offer fresh produce twice a week through the Suwanee market,” says Events Coordinator Amy Doherty. “Now, those residents who enjoy sleeping in on the weekend have a chance to enjoy fresh, in-season produce, too, on Tuesday evenings.”

The Suwanee Farmers Market will be open at Town Center Park from 8 am-noon Saturdays and 4-7 pm Tuesdays May 1 – October 12.

Nearly two dozen vendors participate in the Suwanee Farmers Market each week, offering in-season produce, herbs and plants, free-range meat and eggs, baked goods, and jams and jellies.

Guidelines and applications for those interested in being part of the 2010 Farmers Market are now available. Applications will not be accepted until the annual farmers market meeting at 7 p.m. Monday, March 29, at Suwanee City Hall, 330 Town Center Avenue.

Photo by David Douglas

What’s happening, Suwanee?!

The City of Suwanee, along with several media partners and private organizations, has put together a fun and varied 2010 event schedule that includes concerts, festivals, movies, races, and more at a variety of venues that include most of the City’s parks as well as the Suwanee Gateway and historic Old Town.

The City kicks off the fun at Town Center Park with the 106.7 True Oldies Birthday Bash featuring Beatles tribute band, The Return, on April 10. In addition to traditional favorites, such as Suwanee Day, the Memorial Day Weekend concert, Taste of Suwanee, and Star 94’s Woofstock (formerly Petapalooza), several new events are scheduled this year: a fine arts festival in May, Great American Campout at Sims Lake Park, and a privately organized book festival and international food and beer festival.

Click here to see the full 2010 City of Suwanee event calendar. Event-planners, please note that the 2010 schedule is complete; no additional events are being considered. Applications for 2011 will be accepted in November or December.

Community garden takes root

All 76 available plots at Suwanee’s new organic community garden have been claimed for the 2010 season. And, construction at the White Street Park site, including Suwanee’s Harvest Farm community garden, is underway.

FOSCO Inc. of Duluth is the contractor for phase one of White Street Park, Suwanee’s fifth park (not including the Suwanee Greenway extension) to be created using open space bond funds. Current construction includes the community garden and core park infrastructure, such as parking and irrigation. Mathias Corp., also of Duluth, has been contracted to renovate the existing barn as well as for construction of public restroom facilities at Martin Farm Road Park and a pavilion at PlayTown Suwanee.

Planting is anticipated for the spring, and a community grand opening celebration is tentatively scheduled for June 19.

Hello, 2010: Suwanee website gets an updated look

Don’t click that mouse! If you’re looking for the City of Suwanee website, you’re in the right place. It’s just that our website has a brand new look.

All of the same great information – maps and press releases, financial and zoning documents, parks and services information – can still be found at www.suwanee.com. However, the look of the site has been updated, and the navigation moved from the left side of the page to the top. In addition, quick clicks and the calendar have been moved to the bottom of the page. A video window has been added, and the City has posted a new promotional video.

The City of Suwanee website was established in 1998, and the design and format of the site had remained essentially unchanged until now.

“In Internet years, our website’s look had aged well beyond its prime,” says Public Information Officer Lynne DeWilde. “Our website has served us well, though, and we didn’t feel it needed a complete overhaul, but rather just a fresh, updated look. Suwanee is known for being progressive and now our website, which is visited annually almost 400,000 times, more accurately reflects our progressive community.”

If you have suggestions or feedback related to this website or the featured video, please email them to ldewilde@suwanee.com.

Making an impression through public art

The City of Suwanee and the Suwanee Arts Partnership are set to launch a fund-raising effort to make possible an exhibit of original outdoor sculptures to be displayed year-round throughout downtown Suwanee.

Public arts initiatives like this upcoming Suwanee SculpTour can have a real economic impact on the community, bringing additional visitors to downtown Suwanee. In addition, public arts programs:

• Make art accessible to everyone.
• Attract a creative workforce.
• Celebrate civic achievements or memorialize local or national events.
• Stimulate creativity in the workplace and our schools.
• Increase livability, walkability, and desirability of neighborhoods and the community.
• Educate and inspire citizens.
• Enhance roadsides, pedestrian corridors, and community gateways.
• Encourage dialogue.
• Demonstrate civic pride.

Click here for more information about the Suwanee SculpTour, the City’s public art initiative, and sponsor opportunities. Or contact Denise Brinson.