2026 Annual Vendor Meeting
February 9, 2026
AGENDA
Welcome + Introductions
Background: Waco Family Medicine
2025 In Review
Break for Questions
2026 Market Season: Weekly Operations
Vendor Questions/Announcements/Updates
2025 Annual Report
2025
MARKET Season in REVIEW
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
Open Market Days | 52 | 51 | 50 | 49 | 48 | 49 | 48 |
Saturdays Grossing over $50k | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
Saturdays Grossing over $30k | 87% | 82.00% | 86.00% | 69.40% | 87.50% | 24.50% | 0 |
Ave Vendors/Sat | 55 | 46 | 48 | 50 | 46 | 36 | 36 |
Ave Sales/Vendor | $715 | $767 | $734 | $670 | $841 | $613 | $464 |
Ave Total Sales/Sat | $39,588 | $35,873 | $35,010 | $33,480 | $38,677 | $22,078 | $16,702 |
TOTAL Saturday Vendor Sales | $2,058,553 | $1,829,499 | $1,750,525 | $1,653,747 | $1,856,505 | $1,059,728 | $801,697 |
TOTAL Saturday + Handmade | $2,058,553 | $1,917,771 | $1,844,232 | $1,762,899 | $1,970,366 | n/a | n/a |
TOTAL SAT+WED+Handmade | $2,120,055 | $2,020,922 | $1,956,746 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
% Change over last year | 4.91% | 3.28% | 5.02% | -10.53% | 75.19% | 32.19% | n/a |
2025
MARKET Season in REVIEW
2025
MARKET Season in REVIEW
Customer Data Highlights
Top Zip Codes
76706 (Baylor/Robinson)
76712 (Woodway)
76708 (CS/Lake)
76705 (Homestead)
76710 (West Waco)
Average Household Income: $78,000
Median Household Income: $57,000
Median Visit Time: 30 minutes
Busiest Hours: 10a-11a, 11a-12p
Total Visitors in 2025: 92,300
Ave Visitors/Mkt Day:
Customer Demographics
White: 52.5%
Black: 14.4%
Hispanic: 27.8%
Asian: 2.6%
Two or more: 3%
2025
MARKET Season in REVIEW
2025
MARKET Season in REVIEW
2025
MARKET Season in REVIEW
Saturday Vendor
FEEDBACK
40 Responses
Vendor Feedback
Saturday Vendor Feedback
SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS
LOVES
Saturday Vendor Feedback
S
Continue to patrol the marketplace and deal with issues while setting up.
More intention letting people drive in at the end of market to load up. Often there are cars lined up that could be loading, but there is nobody there or nobody aware to pull the bollards…Several vendors are ready to load right at 1pm and could get in an out quickly to let others in, but instead it's often 1:15pm or later before the bollards are pulled and then everyone is trying to get in at the same time.
How can the Waco Downtown Farmers Market serve you (the vendor) better?
Free coffee… haha I’m kidding kinda!
Dance!
Saturday Vendor Feedback
“Better marketing! The market emails and posts need to be more frequent and feature more vendors.”
“Vendor stories and customer experience reels”
What are your ideas to increase/retain customers at the Market?
“More shade and places to sit in the rain/heat.”
“Advertising? Honestly when I talk to customers it’s consistent fruits and vegetables that bring customers out—- I think even if they aren’t buying those items it’s what brings them”
Customer
FEEDBACK
25 Responses
Customer Feedback
Customers are coming to buy:
Customer Feedback
TOP RESPONSES
What kind of vendors
would you like to see at
the market that you
currently don't see?
“ More/different types of food. I feel like a lot are Mexican, baked goods, or Asian dishes. (I'd like to see Puerto Rican, Cuban, _-different Latin American foods-- in general just a larger array of foods. + other options, like açaí bowls, fresh fruits, or other items?)”
Specific Suggestions:
What is your favorite thing about the Waco Downtown Farmers Market?
QUESTION
TOP RESPONSES
Customer Quotes:
“Getting fresh things and supporting small local businesses”
“Smelling candles”
What could the Waco Downtown Farmers Market improve upon?
QUESTION
TOP RESPONSES
“If bike racks could be installed around or in the bridge street market it would make attending much more comfortable. Currently I have to walk my bike around.”
“I go rather strictly to grocery shop, not listen to music or participate in community events. I hit up most if not all produce/fruit vendors, coffee beans, one of the two cheese vendors, chicken/meat vendors, and periodically other vendors. I have been going to the market since its inception on the river..”
What other feedback do you have for the WDFM Staff and Board?
QUESTION
TOP RESPONSES
“I think I’d just suggest kindness. I LOVE that we have such a good farmers market that people want to go to and vendors want to be a part of. There are things I think could be better or different but if nothing changed, I’d still consider myself lucky with what we do have. But anytime I’ve had to visit the wfm booth, the workers are so rude - I generally avoid the booth at all costs. That should be the most welcoming booth of all - greeting folks, sharing the nonprofit, teaching them about the local farm culture, etc.”
“You seem to be trying to appease a handful of folks by moving, but you are not considering a much larger group. Parking will be scarce and further to walk. Also consider vandalism of the cars in the Bridge Street area.”
Short Break for Questions
Weekly Operations
MARKETSPREAD
DASHBOARD
update autopay here
MARKETSPREAD
DASHBOARD
You can only make changes here UNTIL you are assigned a booth space, typically on the Monday before market. After that, you must email or text the manager to change attendance. Do not decline Marketspread check-in.
Rules & Regulations Reminders
Vendor Email
+
Vendor Resources
Your Marketspread email is your official channel of communication
What’s Inside?
What has moved to the Website under Vendor Resources
the Move to Bridge Street
Social Media Guidelines
More Marketing = Sharing your marketing
Product features each week, Thurs or Friday
Create post, share to your story, TAG us in your story.
Create on Instagram, share to both Instagram & Facebook
No logo posts, “find us at these markets,” generic posts shared
No collaborator posts
SPECIAL EVENTS
2026 Calendar of Events
2/14: Valentines Market
2/21: ALN’s Lunar New Year
3/14: Spring Produce + WIC Season Launch
5/9: Mother’s Day
6/6: Peach Festival
6/13: Father’s Day
7/4: July 4th Market
9/12: Back to School
10/17: Fall Harvest Festival
11/21: 15th Anniversary
12/12: Holiday Market
CLOSED: 12/26
No more Wednesday Night Markets
TOKEN & VOUCHER REVIEW
Please record your token/voucher amounts on the updated vendor reporting log in your vendor folder.
If you take a voucher for which you are not eligible, you will not get reimbursed.
Day-of reimbursements will be made in cash if $20 or under (cash allowing).
Special vouchers-turn in immediately
COMMUNITY VOUCHER DAYS
SNAP �(FOOD STAMPS)
ELIGIBLE ITEMS
NO: alcohol, prepared or hot food/beverages, dog food, personal care items
DOUBLE UP FOOD BUCKS
WIC FMNP�(FARMERS MARKET NUTRITION PROGRAM)
UPDATES, ANNOUNCEMENTS, Q&A