BALDWINSVILLE — After a hiatus forced by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Baldwinsville Farmers Market returned to Baldwin Canal Square on June 15. While the market is at the same place, it’s being run by a new face: Nick Sanford, the owner of Toss & Fire Wood-Fired Pizza.
Sanford, who first fired up his food truck in 2015 and has since opened brick-and-mortar pizzerias in North Syracuse and Camillus, approached the previous organizers of the Baldwinsville Farmers Market — Mike and Michelle Samoraj — earlier this year about taking the reins of the market.
“I’ve been a vendor since we started, so probably six years,” Sanford said. “I discussed with them what it would take to take it over.”
The Samorajs manage the twice-yearly Festravaganza events in Baldwinsville and previously operated the Baldwinsville and Camillus farmers markets. Under the Samorajs, the Baldwinsville Farmers Market was held in Baldwin Canal Square in 2013 and 2014 before moving in 2015 to VFW Post No. 153. The market spent two seasons at Abbott Farms before returning to the village square in 2019.
Then, COVID hit. When 2021 rolled around, the Samorajs reassessed their operations. In addition to Baldwinsville Festravaganza Events, they own two Willow Health and Wellness Center locations and manage several local fundraising races under the umbrella of Willow Running.
“We hope there will always be a weekly market,” the Samorajs said in a May 17 statement on the Facebook page for Baldwinsville Festravaganza Events. “For us, we will only continue organizing the very fun Spring and Fall Festravaganza events. We also organize over 20 running events in Upstate NY and we often have local vendors. We will keep you informed when vendors will be at those events and look for more info about the upcoming Fall Fest (Sept. 18, 2021).”
Sanford said the village of Baldwinsville has been cooperative as he has prepared to reopen the farmers market.
Sanford plans to have 15 to 20 vendors each week at the B’ville market, including Ma and Pa’s Kettle Corn, Stone Hill Gardens, Emmi Farms and Fashion Rescue 911. The market also will feature handmade artisan goods, henna tattoos, fabric face masks, artwork and more. The Toss & Fire and Byblos Street Grill food trucks will alternate weeks at the market, which is tentatively scheduled to run each Tuesday through Sept. 14.
“We may end up extending it if there’s product to be sold and if we’re getting a good response to it,” Sanford said. “So far, we’ve been getting a lot of positive feedback.”
The Baldwinsville Farmers Market takes place from 3 to 7 p.m. Tuesdays through Sept. 14 at Baldwin Canal Square (behind the B’ville Diner). For more information, visit facebook.com/baldwinsvillemarket/.
