Virginia’s Oldest Marketplace Is Under New Management
The Enrichmond Foundation is very pleased to announce that it has been awarded a contract by the City of Richmond to manage, program, operate and maintain Richmond’s historic 17th Street Marketplace beginning July 1, 2016.
This follows a robust, transparent and multi-year public procurement process administered by the City of Richmond. The Enrichmond Foundation has managed special events at the 17th Street Marketplace for the past 4 years. These very popular events include Earth Day, the Bacon Festival, and Kickin Chicken WingFest.
“Enrichmond is more than capable, through its oversight, of guiding this public space to realize its full potential. We are thrilled about the partnership as well as the placemaking opportunities associated with the space,” said Douglas C. Dunlap, the City of Richmond’s Director of Economic and Community Development. “The future is bright for the market as the space is transformed to serve as a true anchor attraction drawing visitors from the region and beyond.”
John Sydnor, Executive Director of the Enrichmond Foundation, is equally enthusiastic. “We are thrilled to be working with the City of Richmond, neighboring businesses, residents and our partners as we revive and revamp this fantastic space for the 21st Century. Planned improvements are taking place this summer and will be in place for our exciting special events schedule in 2017. We can’t wait!”
About the 17th Street Marketplace
The uniqueness and distinction of the 17th Street Market reaches back to the earliest days of the Commonwealth and our City. The native Powhatan peoples met to trade in the immediate vicinity of the Market at “Shockoe Rock,” a large rock at the confluence of Shockoe Creek and the James River. The Market continued as a major trade center when the main road between Williamsburg and Richmond terminated on-site. The current location served as the City’s official farmers’ market starting in 1736 making it the oldest continuously operational farmers’ in Virginia, and quite possibly the United States. The Market was once the very heart of our City as it teemed with the essence of urbanity -- business, culture, trade, government, community gathering, and much more.
About the Enrichmond Foundation
For the past 25 years, the Enrichmond Foundation, a non-profit serving the City of Richmond’s people, parks, and public spaces, has worked with a broad base of partners to enhance and activate public assets and amenities, including Belle Isle, the Landmark Theater, and Kanawha Plaza. For more information about Enrichmond, its partners and projects, go to enrichmond.org. To stay abreast of 17th Marketplace events, we invite you to go to Facebook and Like Enrichmond’s 17th Street Marketplace page