Sell at the Farmers Curb Market

The Downtown Farmers Curb Market (“Market”) is a LDDA-operated program established to:

• Increase public access to fresh agricultural products and locally produced foods;
• Support local farmers, ranchers, food producers, and small businesses;
• Promote economic vitality within Downtown Lakeland;
• Provide residents and visitors with a high-quality, safe, and diverse shopping experience; and
• Encourage products and activities that complement the Market’s agricultural and community-focused mission.

The Market is a curated municipal commercial program. Participation is by application and approval only. Vendor space is limited, and acceptance is not guaranteed. Nothing in these Rules creates a right or entitlement to participate in the Market.

The Market is not an open marketplace available to all applicants.

The LDDA intentionally curates the Market to maintain an appropriate mix of products, preserve vendor diversity, support the agricultural mission of the Market, and provide the greatest benefit to customers and participating vendors.

We are committed to offering a carefully curated mix of:

• Homegrown Products
• Handmade Goods
• Homemade Foods
• Artisan Crafts
• Local Produce

Every application is carefully reviewed to ensure the Market maintains a balanced product mix while supporting our Downtown businesses.

Eligible applicants include:

Tier 1 – Agricultural Producers

• Farmers
• Growers
• Ranchers
• Beekeepers
• Plant and nursery vendors

Tier 2 – Food Producers

• Bakers
• Specialty food producers
• Cottage food operators
• Prepared food vendors
• Seafood and meat producers (where permitted)

Tier 3 – Artisan Vendors

• Handcrafted goods
• Agricultural-related crafts
• Home and garden products
• Other artisan products determined by the Market Manager to complement the Market’s mission.

Please Note: Space availability is determined by product category—not by the number of available vendor spaces.

Applications shall be evaluated using objective criteria including:

• Consistency with the Market’s purpose.
• Product quality.
• Local production.
• Originality.
• Seasonal availability.
• Product diversity.
• Balance among vendor categories.
• Space availability.
• Vendor history and reliability.
• Compliance with previous Market rules.
• Required licenses and permits.

Meeting these criteria does not guarantee acceptance. Before submitting an application, please understand that we are not:

• A flea market
• A resale marketplace
• A place for wholesale products
• A location for service businesses to advertise
• A venue for MLM companies
• A location for political or religious organizations
• A place for retail stores to operate satellite booths
• A non-profit showcase

Our goal is to preserve the authentic farmers market experience while maintaining a healthy balance between vendors.

Vendor space is reserved for the sale of products consistent with the Market’s purpose.

The following activities are not eligible for regular vendor space:

• General fundraising.
• Membership recruitment.
• Distribution of literature unrelated to the Market.
• Commercial services unrelated to products sold at the Market.
• Political campaigning.
• Petition circulation.
• Religious outreach.
• General advocacy campaigns.
• Solicitation of donations.

These restrictions apply equally without regard to viewpoint, ideology, or organizational status.

The Market Manager may approve a limited number of educational booths that directly support the purposes of the Market.

Examples include:

• UF/IFAS Extension
• Master Gardeners
• Nutrition education
• Florida Fresh initiatives
• Pollinator education
• City-sponsored environmental programs
• City/County departments sharing information relevant to the operations of the community

Educational booths shall not engage primarily in fundraising, political advocacy, petitioning, membership recruitment, or unrelated promotional activities.

Approval is discretionary and subject to available space.

These Rules govern participation as a vendor in the LDDA’s Farmers Curb Market only.

Nothing in these Rules shall be interpreted to prohibit lawful expressive activity in traditional public forums, including public sidewalks, parks, or other public areas where such activity is otherwise permitted by law.