ESCANABA — The Escanaba Farmers Market is celebrating its 100 year today as part of National Farmers Market Week this week.

An ordinance was passed by the Escanaba City Council on March 19, 1924 to formally establish a city market for farmers to sell their goods. The location specified in the ordinance was on 10th Street between Ludington Street and 1st Avenue North. It remained in that location until the Escanaba Marketplace was built on Ludington Street in 2017.

“We found the ordinance as we were developing a new logo. We wanted to find a date to see if we could say when the market was established,” said Craig Woerpel, director of the Escanaba Downtown Development Authority.

The original ordinance also established market days to be Wednesdays and Saturdays, which it still is today. It also required the Market Master to ring a bell a half-an-hour before the end of the market and again at the close to “warn those engaged in buying and selling on the market.”

The Market Master was tasked with inspecting the produce before the market, which the ordinance referred to as “wholesome food products” prepared by those offering them for sale.

Judy Schroeder has been the Market Manager since 2007. She is responsible for placing vendors and making sure they comply with state regulations concerning the sale of food items.

“It is a great group of vendors who come together each week to sell produce, baked goods and craft items. We are kind of like a family,” Schroeder said.

As part of the celebration today, there will be cake, prizes and music by the Escanaba City Band, who is also celebrating 100 years. A proclamation will be read by Mayor Mark Ammel. The program will be held from 5 to 6 p.m. Music earlier in the afternoon will be provided by Jim Finlan. He produced the new mural on the Marketplace stage.

Farmers Markets are held at the Escanaba Marketplace at 1501 Ludington Street each Wednesday from 3 to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon between June to the end of October.