YARMOUTH — Music fills the air as shoppers fill their bags with fresh, locally sourced food Thursdays on the lawn of 317 Main Community Music Center.

But on July 6, the Yarmouth Farmer’s Market received a treat of its own: a $5,000 donation from the town.

Town Manager Nat Tupper, Town Council Chairwoman Pat Sullivan and Anita Demetropolous of the Economic Development Advisory Board presented Amy Sinclair, 317 Main marketing director, with the check as the market opened.

Sinclair never asked for a specific amount of money, she said, “(but) I think (the board) knew that in order to run an enterprise like this, we had to have town support because 317 is a nonprofit,” Sinclair said. “(The Yarmouth Farmer’s Market Advisory Board) has to pay for signage, the website, marketing, advertising, and all other things which the market needs to grow.”

Five thousand dollars is the most the market has ever received in funding from the town. 

“The town’s support really validates what we are doing,” Sinclair said. 

“This year we had funds (from the Economic Development Advisory Board) available,” Tupper said. “So, we put some money where it’s deserved.” 

317 Main began hosting the farmers market in 2015. Before that, the market was held on the town green and overseen by the town for four years.

“It’s a natural fit,” Sinclair said on the market’s partnership with 317 Main. “It’s so great that we have access to live music on the porch.” 

The market is open 3-6 p.m. every Thursday from June 1 through mid-October, with a different musician or group performing around 4 p.m. 

“It’s a collaboration that works very well,” said John Williams, who has been executive director of 317 Main since 2009. Williams said joining forces with the farmers market is just “one more thing we could do to build this community.”

The market typically hosts 12 seasonal vendors, with a couple guests and a different food truck each week. 

“I do curate (the market) a bit,” Sinclair said. “I always call it the full ‘Market Basket’ experience … you could shop for your whole family.” 

Not only are shoppers buying for their families, but some are buying for entire businesses.

“We now have terrific local restaurants that rival anything that’s going on in Portland,” Sinclair said. “We love that both Gather and Owl & Elm Pub are now shopping at the farmers market and supporting Maine farming families.”

The market will stay open until 7 p.m. Thursday, July 20, in preparation for Clam Festival. Sinclair said there will be music from 4-7 p.m., a cash bar run by Liquid Riot, additional vendors, and a “celebrity food truck.”

“Our interest is in building the community and supporting small business,” Sinclair said. “We are so grateful to the town of Yarmouth for sharing our belief that a vibrant farmers market makes Yarmouth an even better place to live, work and play … and to our customers for supporting Maine farmers, fishermen, artisans and musicians.”

Jocelyn Van Saun can be reached at 781-3661 ext. 183 or jvansaun@theforecaster.net. Follow her on Twitter @JocelynVanSaun.

Vendors gathered on the lawn of 317 Main July 6 as the town awarded $5,000 to the Yarmouth Farmer’s Market Advisory Board.

Jeanne Krull, owner of Maine-ly Meatballs, is one of about four business owners whose food truck shares an alternating parking spot outside of 317 Main on Thursday afternoons. Based in Westbrook, this is Maine-ly Meatball’s second summer at the farmers market. 

The Flukes, which stands for Falmouth Library Ukulele Society, performed renditions of classic tunes such as “Mr. Sandman” and “The Birds & The Bees” during the farmers market in Yarmouth on July 6.