08/06/2026
A Message to Our South Lyon Community
Thank you to everyone who has shared your thoughts, encouragement, questions, and ideas over the past several days. We know this announcement is disappointing because we share that disappointment ourselves. The South Lyon Farmers & Artisans Market means a great deal to our community, and it means a great deal to us.
Like you, we want to see a thriving Farmers & Artisans Market that supports our local farmers, artisans, small businesses, and the sense of community that makes South Lyon special. Every decision we made this season was guided by that goal.
The decision to conclude the 2026 market season was not made lightly. The DDA Board carefully evaluated every reasonable option, including alternate locations within the Downtown Development Authority district. Under Michigan Public Act 57, DDA-sponsored events must remain within the DDA district. While several locations were considered, each presented significant challenges and would have been even less visible and accessible than our current location.
This season also brought another challenge that many markets across Michigan are facing—recruiting farmers. We worked diligently throughout the year to recruit additional growers and increase the variety of fresh produce available at the market. While we were fortunate to welcome many wonderful vendors, attracting and retaining produce farmers remained a challenge despite our continued outreach and efforts.
As the season progressed, the Board listened carefully to vendor feedback while monitoring attendance and the continued impacts of downtown construction. We also recognized that the next phase of construction would shift traffic patterns through downtown, creating additional challenges for customer access, visibility, and vendor success. Rather than asking our vendors to continue investing their time and resources under increasingly difficult circumstances, we listened carefully to them and agreed that concluding the season early was in their best interest.
Our vendors are the heart of this market, and they were at the forefront of every discussion. Vendors who prepaid for the remainder of the season will receive either a prorated refund or a prorated credit toward the 2027 season, based on their individual preference.
We've heard your concerns, your suggestions, and your passion for this market. We sincerely appreciate every constructive comment because it comes from people who care deeply about South Lyon and want to see our market succeed.
If you have ideas for making the South Lyon Farmers & Artisans Market even better, we invite you to become part of the solution.
The Downtown Development Authority Board is made up of volunteers who generously give their time because they believe in Downtown South Lyon. We welcome anyone who would like to become involved—whether by volunteering at the market, serving on one of our committees, helping recruit vendors, assisting with promotions, or sharing ideas. Great communities aren't built by a handful of people—they're built by neighbors working together.
We know there is disappointment today, but we also see tremendous opportunity ahead. Let's take everything we've learned this year and use it to build the strongest South Lyon Farmers & Artisans Market yet.
Thank you to our vendors, volunteers, shoppers, sponsors, and everyone who supported the market throughout the 2026 season. We look forward to welcoming everyone back with renewed energy, fresh ideas, and an even stronger market in 2027.
Together, let's make 2027 our best season yet. ❤️
