LEMONT — Village residents will have a place close to home to pick up produce and other locally produced goods when a new farmers market begins in May.

The Lemont Village Association recently registered the name “Lemont Farmers’ Market” with the state, and it will take place from 3 to 7 p.m. Wednesdays beginning May 9, through the end of October.

The market will allow only products grown or produced locally and will start with 12 vendors. They will set up on Mount Nittany Road, between the John I. Thompson Grain Elevator and Coal Sheds and the Center for Well Being.

“And at some point we might expand into the building,” said LVA President Sue Smith. “We’re going to start small and see how it goes.”

The LVA mailed information to about 100 people on various farmers market lists and Smith said it has received a “nice response” so far. Once the group chooses the starting vendors, they will determine final bylaws and regulations together.

“It’s not something that the LVA board wants to run,” she said. “We just want to provide the space and have it be something else happening in Lemont.”

Jackie Bonomo, also with the LVA, said the group hopes to have a broad range of vendors, offering produce, meat, dairy and more.

“I’m excited about the people (who) have so far given applications,” she said. “I hope we get more.”

Vendors will pay $12 per week to participate, which will pay for market advertising and, Smith hopes, help the LVA fund its next big project, adding restrooms to the Granary site.

“I think it’s really going to be nice,” she said of the market. “It’ll be nice for people to be able to go to a market and not have to drive.”

Plus, no other local market covers those late evening hours in the middle of the week. The LVA hopes to attract the after-work crowd.

Smith and Bonomo first presented the idea to College Township Council last fall, receiving a positive reaction from council members. Once vendors are chosen, they will return to the township with the details. At that point, township staff will determine what level of paperwork is required, said zoning officer John Franek.

“It would require some permitting,” he said. “Depending on the scale of the market, it may require some sort of (formal) plan.”

Jessica VanderKolk can be reached at 235-3910.