For nearly a decade (2011-2019), there was thriving farmers market in Walker Square Park that provided fresh produce, live music and community. At the helm was Walker Square neighbor and immigration lawyer, Jason Cleereman, whose passion and hard work kept the market going until Cleereman’s passing in 2020.

Five years later, a group of committed neighbors – with support from the Milwaukee Parks Foundation and Bader Philanthropies – are bringing the market back to life at Walker Square Park, 1031 S. 9th St., on Sunday mornings from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. July 6 through Sept. 28.

Guests can expect fruit and vegetable vendors, coffee and live music from a diverse assortment of musicians. SNAP, WIC, Senior Farmers Market Vouchers will be accepted by vendors at the market. In addition, Walker Square Market will be collaborating with the Square Plaza Market for combined farmer and maker markets on July 20 and Aug. 17.

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Resurrecting a community staple

Nicole Hertel Meirose was among the group of active members of the Walker Square Neighborhood Association and the Friends of Walker Square Park organizations who worked hard to bring back the market.

“Jason [Cleereman] was a really active member of the Walker Square Neighborhood Association,” she says. “Despite its existence for decades, it’s just a small, grassroots neighborhood association. Following his passing, we needed time to grieve his loss. And, even then, despite having passion for the project, we also didn’t have experience or money to run a farmers market. So, we didn’t know if, when or how to bring it back.”

But two years ago, a group of determined neighbors formed a Friends of Walker Square group under The Park People, allowing them to act as a 501 (c)(3) organization to support the park. From there, they forged a relationship with the Milwaukee Parks Foundation who assisted them by applying for a $25K grant through Bader Philanthropies to get the farmers market back up and running.

With that funding, they were able to hire Isabel Miranda as the Walker Square Market Manager. Miranda earned her bachelors degree in Community Nonprofit Leadership and she has worked with various organizations including Hunger Task Force and the Urban Ecology Center. She also has a passion for nutrition education, food access and the activation and access to green spaces.

“I grew up in the neighborhood,” says Miranda. “And my grandmother still lives near the park. Walker Square is the park where my grandparents took me to play. And I remember attending the farmers market and listening to the really unique music that they featured there. So, this role was really exciting to me.”

Under her purview, they’ve been able to hire a local artist to create a logo for the farmers market, fund marketing efforts, solicit vendors for the market, and hire a Hmung interpreter so that they could communicate and build relationships with Hmong farmers. And thanks to an $8K Sprouts Grant from the Milwaukee Parks Foundation, they’ve been able to re-start the market with a live concert series to attract attendees and build community.

However, to become a sustainable entity, the market will also need monetary sponsorships and donations as it moves forward so that it can keep vendor costs at a minimum. It’s particularly important for Walker Square, which ranks number 5 out of all the parks in the county on the Milwaukee County Parks Equity Index, which uses several important criteria to identify the parks of greatest need from a lens of equity. Individuals who are interested in assisting the market in moving forward are encouraged to send their inquiries by email to WalkerSquareFM@gmail.com.

“We are thrilled to be reopening this market as a tribute to Jason’s memory,” says Meirose. “The neighbors here have lots of joy, energy, and dreams; and our neighborhood association and friends of the park group are excited to help make some of those happen! We hope people will stop by, meet the neighbors and assist us in creating a vibrant, joyful market on Sundays this summer.” 

Miranda notes that the Walker Square Market would still welcome additional produce and value-added products (bread, honey, etc.) vendors for the 2025 season. The market’s vendor application is available online.