Market founder and operator Patricia Yepremian opened the Saturday morning market in October 2009.

In a staff report to the council, City Manager Brian Nakamura said the number of vendors and customers drawn to downtown for the market has increased steadily.

Nakamura said Yepremian expects 50 of the 75 or so vendors from the Saturday market to participate in the Wednesday one.

The farmers market vendors offer a variety of items, including fruits and vegetables, honey, herbs, eggs, baked goods, prepared foods, specialty clothing, shoes, bags, handcrafted items, and plants and flowers, according to Nakamura.

The market usually offers entertainment, which has included such eclectic fare as a harpist, solo guitarist/singer, children’s activities, and holiday celebrations, he said.

In addition to the economic activity generated among the vendors, Nakamura said customers also patronize permanent downtown businesses.

In fact, "excepting special events and the historic depot, the farmers market is the only concentrated effort to bring people to downtown Hemet for shopping and entertainment," according to Nakamura.

Expansion of the successful Saturday market to a Wednesday evening market over the summer months would provide for additional economic and recreational activities in downtown to support the city program for downtown revitalization," he said. "Additional sales tax would be generated from taxable sales on Wednesday evening market vendors and help to push visitors and shoppers into downtown brick and mortar businesses in downtown."

HEMET: Wednesday night street fair planned for downtown

10:00 PM PDT on Saturday, April 30, 2011
By KEVIN PEARSON, The Press-Enterprise

The city of Hemet is in the final negotiating stages of plans to open a Wednesday night street fair, which it hopes will provide a boost to downtown businesses and inexpensive entertainment options to residents throughout the summer.

The fair will be run by Patricia Yepremian, the private businesswoman who runs the Saturday morning farmers market just behind the Hemet Public Library on Harvard Street.

The Wednesday night event will differ from Saturday's, Yepremian said. While the Saturday event is more of a traditional farmers market with produce, she is hoping the Wednesday night alternative will feature live music, crafts and other interactive events that will draw families to the area.

"I think it's going to be great," Yepremian said. "We want to make it a nice, hot summer night event."
No opening date has been decided yet but both Yepremian and city officials are hoping for mid-to late May, most likely May 18 or 25. The two sides are still ironing out plans with regards to licensing and a few other issues.

The site will be a block away from the Saturday event, on Front Street near the railroad tracks, on the opposite side of Latham Avenue from the Saturday market and the library.

The Saturday market draws about 1,500 people per week and has roughly 75 vendors, about two-thirds of which are local to the San Jacinto Valley. Yepremian said she was hopeful the Wednesday night fair would start with 50 vendors.

At Tuesday's City Council meeting, members raised questions about security.

"It is a concern," Councilman Jim Foreman, a retired Hemet police officer said. "If the less-desirables are going there, the general public will not want to go. Safety is a big concern. It has to be."

Yepremian said she would have a private security firm patrol the area and it is also likely that the Hemet Police Department would have a presence during the event, which is within walking distance of the police station.

She also said she is working on getting some outdoor lighting into the area to ensure the neighborhood is well lit for the fair.

John Jansons, the city's economic development director, said Hemet and the downtown area would do well with a second weekly event.

"It's a wholesome family activity and will push people into the downtown area," Jansons said. "We don't have the resources to do anything large and dramatic, but we can welcome something like this that makes it a welcoming place."

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