On Wednesday, Oct. 1, the GCSU Office of Student Engagement hosted its fall semester Farmers and Artisans Market on front campus, featuring live music and a wide range of vendors for the GCSU community to enjoy.
“The Farmers and Artisans Market is something our office puts on every semester, and we invite faculty, staff, students and community vendors to campus. It’s about a two-hour event, typically with live music to sell their products for the GCSU campus and also our community,” said Sara Goodelman, GCSU’s Student Engagement Program coordinator and the event organizer.
The market included both student and community vendors, with a little bit of everything for sale, with items ranging from popsicles and plants to art prints, jewelry and sourdough bagels.
“Any kind of new venture can be pretty daunting just starting out, and organizations and events like this kind of give people the opportunity to try it small scale before investing a lot of money and time into it,” said Billy Copeland, owner of Squareish Woodwork and a vendor at the market
Copeland creates unique gifts from reclaimed and pallet wood, including cheeseboards, keychains and seasonal decorations. While some vendors were established businesses like his, others were simply students eager to share their creativity.
“I actually came mostly just because I thoroughly enjoy making this stuff and I don’t have the need for a hundred postcards myself,” said Taliesin Kehler, a sophomore biology major selling handcrafted postcards and notebooks.
For Kehler, events like the Farmers and Artisans Market are an opportunity to showcase artistic talents and encourage vendors like herself to continue in their work.
“I think it inspires creativity. Not that if I go home and sell nothing, I’m not going to continue to be creative. But it’s just that extra boost of motivation to show your appreciation for art that’s out there,” Kehler said.
In addition to creating a space for creativity, Goodelman emphasized that the event is designed to make participation accessible for vendors no matter the scale of their business. The market is free for vendors, though they are encouraged to donate items to the Campus Corner, a resource center for students in need.
“This is also a great event for first-time vendors to see if you want to get into the business of working in markets. I have a lot of students here that are entrepreneurs, and this is their first time selling in a market,” Goodelman said.
Beyond shopping, the market also provided a chance for students to pause their busy schedules, enjoy the fall weather and connect with peers. Its central location made it easy for students passing by to stop and browse.
“Someone in my senior seminar class told me that there was a farmer’s market happening and I had no idea. So now I’m here,” said Ruby Hull, a senior English major.
Although Hull hadn’t planned on visiting the market, she walked away with arms full of bags and unique gifts, including bracelets, clothes and crafts.
“I got this crochet duck with a cute little pink hat. It was really cute!” Hull said.
Goodelman noted that while academics are the central focus of college experience, events like the market demonstrate the value of activities and engagement beyond the classroom.
“We are here for academics, but it’s also about the personal and professional development and the experience [students] get. It is the first day of fall in October, we have beautiful weather, and it just allows them time to kind of take all stressors away and share memories on front campus,” Goodelman said.
With music drifting across front campus, autumn sunshine overhead and students leaving with arms full of handmade treasures, the Farmers and Artisans Market once again showed how creativity and community thrive side by side at GCSU.