WYOMING, MI – A new outdoor marketplace in Kent County will soon serve as a venue for farmers and artisan markets, live music, food demonstrations, community events and more.
Construction is nearing completion on the new Godwin Mercado at 301 36th St., and the city plans to host a grand opening on Aug. 16 to welcome the public to the new space.
The open house will offer residents a chance to check out the new $6.2 million facility, which includes an indoor venue that residents can rent to host private and community events. The ribbon cutting will take place at 10:30 a.m. followed by free games, activities, food, drinks, live music and face-painting until 1 p.m.
The Wyoming City Commission approved the rental and vendor rates for the space at its Aug. 4 meeting. City Manager John Shay said the goal is for the facility to bring in self-sustaining revenue, but the rates are all just under average for the area, to make it accessible for residents.
The new marketplace is scheduled to open this fall, with its first market season in spring 2026. City officials said the facility is intended to be a vibrant community asset that will be used year-round for events like seasonal farmers and food markets, live entertainment and food trucks, artisan markets and more.
The marketplace will host farmers markets during the main growing season where attendees can buy fresh produce and local goods. During the winter off-season, the marketplace will host artisan fairs and rummage sales.
The outdoor marketplace will have capacity for up to 100 vendors, said Krashawn Martin, the city’s director of parks and recreation, at the Aug. 4 commission meeting.
The indoor event space can also be used as an indoor market that can hold up to 24 vendors. The building can be rented out for private events like weddings, graduation parties and more, with capacity for up to 200 people. The space will have large garage doors that can open up on warm days, plus restrooms and storage.
Users will be able to rent the indoor facility for a half-day or a full day. The half-day rental hours are from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and 4:30-10 p.m. The city will charge Wyoming residents $600 for a half-day or $1,200 for a full day, and nonresidents will pay $900 for a half-day and $1,800 for a full-day.
For the marketplace, the city will charge vendor stall rates on Thursdays of $15 for residents and $22.50 for nonresidents, and $20 for residents and $30 for nonresidents on Sundays. Seasonal rates will be available at $375 for residents and $562.50 for nonresidents.
Wyoming city officials have big plans for the area surrounding 36th Street and Buchanan Avenue, located right off U.S. 131. Right next door, the sprawling former GM plant that sat vacant for decades is being reactivated by several new employers that are expected to add hundreds of new jobs to West Michigan.
The city is also building a pedestrian trail along Buchanan Avenue SW that will connect area businesses to the marketplace, as well as nearby Godwin Heights High School.
The marketplace was built on a 4.96-acre vacant parking lot located just west of the corner of 36th Street and Buchanan Avenue. Once the marketplace is finished, the city intends to continue to allow Godwin Heights Public Schools to use the lot for parking for its athletic complex right next door.
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