It’ll only reach its third birthday this year, but the Berlin Farmers Market already may be heading toward its first big growth spurt.

With summer on the way and dates for this year’s market set, interest among local growers in setting up shop at Berlin’s outdoor pavilion is surging — just in time for the town to announce a kickoff event this year that promises to feature way more than fruits and veggies.

This year’s market will run from May 21 until Oct. 29, with the May 21 opening day taking shape as perhaps the biggest public event in the small town’s short history. In addition to an already-crowded slate of produce vendors, opening day also will bring pop-up shops out to the market venue along U.S. Highway 278, thanks to an arrangement between the town and the North Alabama Regional Council of Governments (NARCOG). LifeSouth also has asked the town to host its mobile blood drive unit on opening day.

“We’re really going to have a little bit of everything,” explained Berlin mayor Patrick Bates. “A lot of the outside interest in the market that we’ve received kind of came together all for that same opening weekend, and that gives us a great opportunity to make the most of it.“

That means bouncy houses for the kids, fire engines on display from the Berlin volunteer fire department, barbecue and other food vendors for everyone, and more yet-to-be announced entertainment as the town makes final preparations ahead of opening day.

The market will be officially open and staffed every Saturday from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m., though vendors are also welcome to pop up independently at the market grounds throughout the week. Bates said there’s been a dramatic increase in the number of local vendors who’ve indicated Berlin as their preferred farmers market when filling out state growers’ permitting forms for the coming season.

“We’re kind of worried about whether we’ll have enough space — but that’s the kind of problem I’ll take any day,” he said.

Since its founding in 2018, Berlin has been steadily growing in both population and size. But the past year wasn’t without tragedy for town leaders and residents in the small, tight-knit community. In September, council member and longtime Berlin resident and businessman Bruce Bentley died in an auto accident that also claimed the life of Cullman County resident Patrick Mize. Bentley was 55 years old.

The council has since appointed a replacement member to fill the seat left vacant by Bentley’s passing, but Bates said the Berlin community continues to feel the loss of a friend and public servant.