Street Market brings ‘all kinds of people’ to historic business district

When REV Birmingham and the Woodlawn Business Association created the Woodlawn Street Market in 2014, their goal was to drive foot traffic to the historic neighborhood.

Mission accomplished, according to organizer Rebekah Fox.

During the markets, held on 55th Place South, “There’s an influx of people visiting, walking around, engaging and spending money at local businesses, becoming familiar and possibly more comfortable with the neighborhood and larger community of Woodlawn,” Fox said.

The 2018 market season in Woodlawn, which began in April, has one event left — on Sunday, Dec. 2, noon to 4 p.m. There will be about 70 vendors, some offering holiday-themed items, according to Julie McKinney of REV Birmingham.

There were five street markets this season, the most ever, according to McKinney. At least 10 spaces, and sometimes more, are reserved at each market for first-time vendors, according to Fox. 

“This season we’ve had between 40 and 50 brand-new vendors,” she said.

Items for sale include produce, prepared food, art, jewelry and clothing. And the market draws diverse crowds.

“One of my favorite things about the market is the crowds, big or small, full of all kinds of people, walking around the street together,” Fox said.