Bridgman Open-Air Market opens for the season

 

BRIDGMAN, Mich. -- While the town of Bridgman, Michigan, may be on the smaller side, they tend to go big when it comes to the Bridgman Open-Air Market, which opened for the season on Saturday. 

The market features local food, produce and craft vendors from the area, as well as entertainment for kids. 

Saturday's opening day featured around 50 unique vendors, a number which will fluctuate throughout the summer season.

The market is located at 4509 Lake Street and has grown from the size of one parking lot in 2016, to more than three times that size in 2023. 

Market Manager, Nick Schmidt, emphasizes that the produce that's sold at the market is all grown from within Berrien County, a rule that's been in place since the market opened. 

"That is our number one rule here is local fresh produce, we don’t allow anything from out of Berrien County. That’s a steadfast rule that’s been there since the very beginning," said Schmidt.

Vendors like Abbey Rice love the environment of the market and continue to return to sell their products because of how well the event is managed. 

"We just love the people here, we love how it’s run, we love how it starts earlier in the season, and it goes all the way until October." said Rice.

The Open-Air Market will be open to the public every Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. through late October, and weather-related updates and special events will be posted here.