Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - The Old Town Farmers Market-Tianguis Cultural has completed its successful third season in Puerto Vallarta's Zona Romantica. This year's move to the streets of Pino Suarez and Basilio Badillo allowed the Market to double the number of vendors to over 90 and provide ample room for shopping.

The very popular food court inside the kindergarten school provided a welcoming venue for locals and tourists alike to visit friends or make new ones while enjoying the great selection of international foods made on site.

The Old Town Farmers Market is Puerto Vallarta's only "producers market," where all the Vendors "Make it, Bake it, Grow it, and Sell it." The main objective is to provide a venue and support for aspiring local entrepreneurs to introduce and/or grow their businesses.

When you shop at the Old Town Farmers Market-Tianguis Cultural, you are not only getting unique, quality items, you are making an impact on the local economy by helping families earn a livelihood. A number of vendors have been able to expand their businesses to include wholesale clients, and some have opened a retail location.

Each week from the first Saturday in November to the last Saturday in May as many as 5000 market visitors made it their Saturday morning ritual. In addition to the clothing, jewelry, sandals, hand-made body products and works of art, there was an incredible selection of baked goods and prepared foods. You could find items ready to consume on site, like tacos, ribs, pizza, spring rolls and agua fresca, or everything needed for entertaining at home, such as fresh local produce, dips, meats, salsas, organic coffee and chocolates.

The workmanship on display at the market reflected a true dedication to craft. Some of the items were whimsical or novelty, but all were one-of-a-kind creations. All of this was enhanced by the music provided by various talented musicians from around Vallarta.

The Market is a "non profit" organization, providing support to the kindergarten school where the food court is currently located, to local business associations and to other community causes.

Each week vendors donated their products for the raffle and this year $12,000 pesos were raised, all of which goes to fund projects to enhance the learning experience for the 175 students who attend the school. The market is currently assisting in the furnishing of flooring, tables, chairs and books for the new library/music room. A water pump was donated to make the pool easier to use.

Over the summer projects will include more cleanup, painting and overall improvements within the school, as well as the building of a stage for school performances. Special thanks to everyone who donated the much needed school supplies, and to those who bought the weekly raffle tickets. For those of you coming back in the fall, remember to add a few school supplies to your suitcase.

Many thanks to the vendors who work so hard each week to ensure such a great variety of products, the local media who helped to spread the word, the City of Puerto Vallarta and the local business associations for providing the venue, to our volunteers who gave so freely of their time, and to the many market visitors without whom we would not exist.

After our summer break, the Farmers Market will commence its 4th season on Saturday, November 3, 2012 in our current Zona Romantica location - on Pino Suarez, along Basilio Badillo and inside the school. You can expect us to expand in many ways, all focused on ensuring that our vendors are successful and that our customers are happy while we work together to strengthen and promote the business environment in Puerto Vallarta.

To learn more about our vendors or to apply for next season, visit our website at OldTownFM.com or follow us on Facebook at Old Town Farmer's Market Puerto Vallarta.

Click HERE to learn more about the Puerto Vallarta Old Town Farmers' Market.