MANSFIELD — Downtown Mansfield Incorporated will kick off the Fourth Street Farmer’s Market Friday, May 27 with 20 vendors.

The farmer’s market will remain open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Friday until Sept. 30.

DMI Community Ambassador Bryan Gladden said he expects additional vendors to show up, indicating a growing market from year to year. The market has been part of the downtown community scene since 2004.

DMI’s Jennifer Kime said the farmer’s market averaged around 500 customers last season and attracted anywhere from 12 to 30 vendors each week. The organization takes pride in the fact that the farmer’s market fits Ohio guidelines — it’s a legitimate farmer’s market.

“We don’t want just random corporate people coming to sell their stuff. It’s a traditional farmer’s market and we line up with Ohio’s guidelines, which means they (the vendors) sell only food items that are grown, produced and processed in Ohio. So it’s more community based and homegrown,” Gladden said.

According to Ohio Proud, a department of the Ohio Department of Agriculture, a Farmers’ Market is a location where several producers congregate to offer fruits, vegetables, flowers, plants, etc. These markets are often located in a public parking lot or at a local fairground. During the harvest season, most markets are open once or twice a week.

The farmer’s market on Fourth Street also recognizes EBT and SNAP cards in an effort to provide fresh produce for underserved families in surrounding neighborhoods. Vendors accepts credit cards and cash.

“(Farmer’s markets) advocate the ability to grow your own food. They’re also good for an education,” Gladden said. “Also, economically, you can buy a pack of seeds for less than a dollar and have lettuce for three months.”

Kime said there has been interest in opening up the farmer’s market on Saturday. To accommodate, she said DMI will host three such sessions throughout the summer in the Brickyard from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on June 18, July 16 and August 20.

Visit DMI’s website to register as a vendor and for more information on future farmer’s markets.