Each year at GCSU, the Farmers and Artisans Market is held on Front Campus. The vendors make a circle with their tables, and students make their rounds to see what items are in store.
This year, there were over 40 tables, which included jewelry, clothes, 3D-printed animals and 3D-printed “Dungeons and Dragons” memorabilia. There were also a variety of tables with handmade earrings made of either clay or beads.
Some tables had art, from little prints or entire canvases. Some art tables took commissions, where they would paint whatever was asked of them.
Front campus was filled with vendors selling stickers, books, bookmarks, flowers and flower arrangements, baked goods, pins and woodworkings. The most popular items sold were crocheted; every other table was swimming in yarn, with items like hats, tops or little animals. The animals seen most were cats, bees, octopi, jellyfish and more.
Although it was a GCSU event, locals of Milledgeville came to see what the vendors had. Many families with their children stopped by.
Ellen Patton, a senior art major, has been selling her earrings since her senior year of high school.
“My favorite part about the market is getting to create connections with students and see them return year after year,” Patton said. “It has been an incredible way to watch the student body grow and change throughout the past four years. Hearing that people make connections with each other over my earrings as they walk around on campus has to be one of the greatest things I hear every market. I love that my art is able to create a mini community.”
Attendees were welcomed with live music performed by several performers throughout the market as well as free items from the GCSU office of sustainability.
“I love it when students have small businesses and they are selling to other students,” said Chloe Butts, a junior theatre major. “I think it is a good way for students to express themselves through their artwork and a good way to support fellow students.”
Carly Walker, a junior psychology major and market vendor, has been making jewelry for five years, and she has been selling at the Farmers and Artisans market for three years. She loves to chat with GCSU students that she normally would not talk to.
“I wanted to sell at this market because I love the environment and the fact that we don’t have to pay a booth fee to participate,” Walker said. “Also, it’s so close to home, and most of the other artisan markets I do are hours away.”
Savannah Walker, a junior mass communication major, is the vice president of marketing for GCSU’s Shelter Buddies, which is a service organization that works with the Baldwin County Animal Shelter. They have been selling clothes at the Farmers and Artisans Market for many years, serving as one of their annual March fundraising events.
“The money raised from the Farmers and Artisans Market will go towards the club fund in order for us to continue putting on member meetings, future fundraisers and keep things running in general.” Walker said.
Walker explains how Shelter Buddies’ main goal is to achieve maximum engagement with others at the market.
“We want to sell used clothes at this GCSU market because it is such an easy way to connect with students,” Walker said. “No matter how much we sell, we are still getting the Shelter Buddies mission across to the community.”
This market is a great way for students to connect and have fun, support their classmates or friends’ small businesses and engage with the local Milledgeville community.