The Flea Market at Eastern Market Expands Back to 7th St SE

 

Diverse Markets Management is excited to announce the return of the Flea Market at Eastern Market to pedestrian-friendly 7th St SE starting this Sunday, March 7th!

 

While the beloved Flea Market has continuously been weathering the Winter spell of unpredictable forecasts and pandemic uncertainties on C St Plaza on Capitol Hill most Sundays in 2021, this weekend will launch the larger seasonal layout and return of many hibernating vendors. The market continues to operate as before, under strict COVID-19 health regulations including mandatory face masks, social distance measures, directional shopping, and a single entrance-exit layout, from 9am - 3pm.

 

The Flea Market at Eastern Market remains an essential space for small businesses, artists, and creative businesses to safely access the Capitol Hill community. For 38 years, Sundays on 7th St SE have been a quintessential part of the Washingtonian experience. From vintage fashion to one-of-a-kind artistic impressions, the Flea Market continues to be a creative force for the local culture. Alongside our colleagues in the Eastern Market Main Street corridor, we are optimistic for the improving health, safety and well-being of our entire community.

For regular market announcements, follow the Flea Market at Eastern Market Facebook page, Twitter, and Diverse Markets Management Instagram (@diversemarkets)!

Farmers Market SW Kicks Off Spring Season April 3rd!

 

Farmers MarketSW, the popular Saturday morning farmers market in Southwest DC will kick off the Spring season April 3. Throughout winter a handful of farmers and food producers have remained dedicated to providing fresh and healthy food options to the community. The steady support of the neighborhood through sun, snow, rain, and wind has cemented Farmers MarketSW's valuable role on the corner of 4th and M St SW.

 

In April, we welcome back a full lot of producers, small businesses, and community organizations. COVID-19 health and safety protocols remain a critical part of the market environment, ensuring the continued operation during the city's pandemic fighting efforts.

 

Open 9am to 1pm, customers will be pleased to see the return of Ochoa Farms with their bounty of farm fresh fruits and produce. They join Sandy Bottom Acres and Ashton Farms with locally-harvested produce, gourmet meats, cheese, and eggs. Freshly-baked and handmade pantry items can be bought from Panorama Bakery, Believe n' Bread, Vida Salsas, Al Volo Cucina, and Taegu KimChi. A fan favorite: the griddle will always be hot with breakfast burritos, crepes, and hot coffee from Atlixco's Mexican Grill!

 

A destination for community-support: Zero Waste and Compost Cab will return with their food waste and compost site, as well as a food collection point for Mutual Aid Ward 6 Food Bank. In June, DC Greens and DC Health will restart the Produce Plus food program, providing fresh food from the market for vulnerable and disenfranchised residents in the neighborhood (Sign ups begin in April).

 

The market continues with the much appreciated support of Southwest Business Improvement District. To find out more about the weekly Farmers Market SW, check out our website and follow the Facebook, Twitter, and Diverse Markets Management Instagram!

2020 ended with a bright beacon of hope for small businesses and visitors of the Downtown Holiday Market. From November 20th - December 23rd, the Downtown Holiday Market operated on F St NW in Downtown DC for thirty days, safely, successfully and with strong support and accolades.

 

As public health precautions and regulations pushed the event into instituting many changes to the market, especially re-configuring onto a closed F St NW, the annual tradition took a rejuvenated shape and form. With a single entrance and exit point, spacious shopping aisles, and a collective attention to maintaining safety protocols, the Downtown DC Business Improvement District and Diverse Markets Management brought a focus to local small businesses, safe and enjoyable gift shopping and holiday spirit to the heart of the Nation's Capital.

 

The Downtown Holiday Market featured over 70 of the region's best and beloved artists, crafters, and small businesses in the region (See full list of participants here!). With dedicated booths like Made in DC, District of Fashion, Pyramid Atlantic Art Center, and the P.A.I.N.T.S Institute highlighting the diversity, activism, and ingenuity of the DC metropolitan area creative class, the market gave a much needed boost of opportunity and revenue for individuals and organizations suffering from the economic strain of the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Additionally, we proudly showcased local musicians, choirs, bands and area businesses and personalities on the new Market Screen! These performances were collected prior to the market, broadcasting daily on site. See them on the Diverse Markets Management Youtube page!

 

The market comfortably welcomed tens of thousands of (masked and distanced) visitors to Downtown DC and reviewing that experience we are optimistic that our new location and set-up will continue to be part of the annual holiday tradition for years to come!

Reflect, revisit, and follow the #DowntownHolidayMarket experience on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Youtube!

 

 

Local Enthusiasm and Global Recognition!

 

The 16th Annual Downtown Holiday Market maintained its iconic presence in DC and significantly elevated its prominence as one of America's premier holiday shopping destinations! This could not have happened without the rallied support of the DC government, local residents, and Downtown DC stakeholders all vying to uplift the dreary streets of a city center drained of workers, weekend-revelers, attendance at the near-by arena, and tourists.

 

A line of excited shoppers often wrapped around the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery on F St NW waiting to have temperature checks and enter the market. The active support of local residents eager to immerse themselves in the holiday atmosphere while supporting local small businesses showed the resiliency and solidarity of a community in troubling times.

 

Notably, the recognition of this year's Downtown Holiday Market received a tremendous boost with visits from newly Vice-President Elect, Kamala Harris, and DC Mayor Muriel Bowser on November 28th's Small Business Saturday. This visit trusted the market into national and international headlines, garnering support for the outdoor shopping experience as a safe, worthwhile destination for visitors despite the spread of COVID-19 increasing throughout the country.

With glowing reviews from local publications like the Washington Post, Washingtonian, and Thrillist, the Downtown Holiday Market was selected as one of the top 10 holiday markets in the United States by USA Today's 10Best! On-site segments were featured across all the major television news outlets in the Washington metro region, as well as international media outlets like the Huffington Post, Telemundo, and R-TV showcasing the market in their stories.

The collaborative marketing effort of the Downtown DC BID and Diverse Markets Management generated 424 press clips and an online, radio, and print audience engagement from over 2 Billion viewers! This also included more than a million engagements on the Downtown Holiday Market social media channels from followers across the world. Though expectations were understandably lowered leading up to the Downtown Holiday Market, the tremendous support from local visitors and global audiences far exceeded any predictions.

 

Check out some of these stats and headlines!

 

Washingtonian - "This Year’s Annual Downtown Holiday Market Is Still Happening, But With a Socially Distant Experience"

 

The Washington Post - "Searching for the Perfect Gift?"

 

WJLA ABC 7 - "VP-Elect Kamala Harris, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser browse DC holiday market"

 

Total National TV Audience Reached: 4,475,587 viewers
Total Local TV Audience Reached: 2,404,507 viewers
Total Radio Audience Reached: 346,265,970 listeners
Total Online and Print Audience Reached: 2,280,471,921 readers
Total Social Media Followers Reached: 1,750,680 followers
Total Youtube Audience Reached: 5,300 views, 151.3 hours watched

 

The physical and organizational changes to the Holiday Market in 2020 were extensive, expensive, and both a reaction to the challenges faced due to the pandemic, and a reflection that we had outgrown our old configuration and ways of operating.

Many of the changes are likely to continue and form a foundation onto which more improvements, enhancements, and amenities are added. While its hard to measure exactly how much certain items enhanced the experience, there is certainly an awareness that the location and reconfiguration ushered in a new way of doing, and making, business at the event.

 

New lighting, new tent arrangements, new access and booth set ups, new protocols and customer interactions, new amenities and technologies introduced, and new and more decor and signage, were all part of what made this event completely different than in years past. We tried to keep the best elements of previous market years where we could while adapting to pandemic and safety issues that had to be accounted for as well as thinking forward to the opportunities inherent in what new improvements could be made.

 

Total Exhibitor Participation: 72
Local Bands and Performers Featured on Market Screen: 35 performances
Local Organizations and Businesses Featured on Market Screen: 27 organizations and businesses
Total Amount of Snow Machine Fluid Used: 22 Gallons

 

Complete the Exhibitor Survey!

 

As a participant at the 2020 Downtown Holiday Market, we would like your feedback. Diverse Markets Management is conducting an exhibitor survey to review this year's experience in Downtown DC. The survey intends to use this data to inform location, aesthetic, and operational improvements for future holiday markets. This information will also help improve both the exhibitor and customer experience. Please take a moment to fill it out!

 

Complete the 2020 Downtown Holiday Market Exhibitor Survey HERE