Willmar Design Center

Becker Market officially opened last year as a means to attract people to Willmar’s downtown area. The market was popular for farmers and artisans who set up stalls to sell their own products directly to the public. As the market enters its second year of operation, organizers have unveiled a few new details to build on the success of last year.

WILLMAR — MaryAnn Friederichs’ artisan bread attracts customers to the Downtown Becker Market like department stores for a shopping mall.

“We call her the anchor,’’ says Beverly Dougherty, project coordinator for the Willmar Design Center, which sponsors the downtown market. “It just happened. People would line up and wait for her to open.’’

Friederichs said her bread is popular at other farmers’ markets in the region.

“It’s pretty exciting to have something that everyone loves and it sells itself,’’ said Friederichs as customers waited 12 deep and more to buy breads and croissants last Thursday at the Becker Market opening.

Friederichs, from Collegeville Arti san Bakery of St. Joseph, was only going to sell bread here once a month.

“They found out it was a good market for them and they came every week, and they were the first ones to sign up this year,’’ Dougherty said.

Also returning this year were Stan and Chari Simon and their son, James, from rural Kerkhoven. They were selling homemade bread, pastries, granola, spinach, herbs, preserved fruit, jams, jellies and salsas.

They have a “couple acres of gardens’’ and try to grow chemical-free produce.

“People are interested in coming out and getting some local-grown things, fresh stuff that hasn’t been on the truck for two weeks,’’ said Stan.

The Simon family and Friederichs joined other vendors lining Becker Avenue Southwest between Fourth and Fifth streets for the second annual installment of the summer-long market featuring fresh produce, hand-made items, food, music and live entertainment.

Hours are 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. every Thursday starting June 7 through Sept. 27. The city of Willmar closes the street to vehicular traffic and sets up picnic tables for shoppers to sit, visit and eat.

New this year is the Becker Market Café. It will be set up in front of Bethel Lutheran Church.

The café was established to always have food available for shoppers who want to stay and eat, and will be a fundraiser for the Design Center, said Dougherty. Each committee of the Design Center will prepare a weekly menu.

Also new this year: live entertainment will always be scheduled from 5:30 to about 6 p.m.

“People are looking to come and they want to see the entertainment,’’ she said. “Last year we just did it whenever somebody got there. We decided to make it a set time in case people wanted to come especially for that.’’

The variety of entertainment will include soloists, groups, singers, dancers and instrumentalists.

Last year’s Becker Market was successful, according to comments from vendors who numbered as many as 35 at the height of the season.

“Our vendors were thrilled, so that tells you that they had good sales, and I think every one of them has come back this year. The community participated and was here because it gave the vendors the sales,’’ said Dougherty.

“I think it was a huge success, and I always say for people who’ve never done this like myself to have it turn out is kind of amazing to me.’’

This year, Becker Market and Willmar Fests’ Downtown Block Party will coincide on Thursday, June 28. Block Party events are scheduled for the Becker Avenue and Fifth Street intersection.

Jason Dougherty returns as market coordinator and will be handling the sound system.

Anyone interested in selling home-grown or hand-made products at Becker Market is asked to call Ashley at 320-262-9954.

Tribune photo by Ron Adams ABOVE: Stan Simon of rural Kerkhoven prepares his table of homemade bread, pastries, preserved fruit and jams during the first Becker Market of the year in downtown Willmar. The market opened for the season last week and is held from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. Thursdays through Sept. 27. BELOW: Mary Ann Friederichs of the Collegeville Artisian Bakery in St. Joseph, right, and her assistant Bethany Ostendorf fill orders Thursday for Becker Market customers.

Tribune photo by Bill Zimmer Austin Anderson of Willmar sells a variety of exotic meats in this June 6, 2006, file photo, at the Jerky by Jake booth at Becker Market in downtown Willmar. The market reopened last week and will be held every Thursday through September. A café and scheduled entertainment have been added to this year’s activities.