RVA Big Market is leaving Bryan Park for Midtown Green
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The RVA Big Market. Photo: Sabrina Moreno/Axios
Richmond's popular RVA Big Market will move from Bryan Park to Midtown Green next spring — a permanent relocation for the farmers market that draws thousands to the Northside park every Saturday.
Why it matters: It marks the second major move for the nearly 20-year-old Richmond institution, but organizers say the new location could help the market grow even larger.
State of play: The market is moving to avoid disruptions from Bryan Park's upcoming environmental restoration projects, including dam removal and stream restoration, founder Karen Grisevich and city parks officials told vendors Friday.
- The city and organizers wanted to give vendors plenty of time to prepare, parks director Chris Frelke tells Axios.
- Construction of the Fall Line Trail and ongoing park improvements have also required the market to shift locations within Bryan Park recently.
- The winter market, which starts next month, will remain at Bryan Park.
Stunning stat: The Big Market draws thousands of shoppers, with organizers saying attendance reaches up to 15,000 on summer Saturdays.
Zoom in: Organizers say Midtown Green — the now city-owned former Washington Commanders training facility — has more space, which could allow for more vendors, plus improved ADA accessibility and access to the Pulse bus line.
- It's central location also puts the market within easy walking and biking distance of densely populated neighborhoods like Scott's Addition, the Fan and the Museum District.
- Nearby parking garages and street parking offer additional options, and the city hopes to make Midtown Green's indoor bathrooms available to shoppers, Frelke says.
Yes, but: Officials are still figuring out how the year-round market will coexist with other major Midtown Green events, including Iron Blossom and Pride, Frelke says.
- And there's the emotional difficulty of leaving Bryan Park after six years, Grisevich noted, and the coming work of educating the customers that vendors depend on about the changes.
Flashback: The market got its start in 2007 as the South of the James Farmers Market in Forest Hill Park.
- Its popularity also brought years of neighborhood complaints about traffic and parking, culminating in a move to Bryan Park in 2020 and the RVA Big Market rebranding the following year.
- A smaller South of the James Market later returned to Forest Hill Park on Sundays amid calls from Southsiders to bring it back.
What's next: Northsiders could still have a weekly farmers market at Bryan Park.
- Grisevich hopes to launch a smaller Thursday evening summer market there.