As a way of making room for new vendors and drawing more shoppers to the downtown venue, the Ann Arbor Farmers Market is launching a Wednesday evening pilot market for the summer.

The evening market, which will start tomorrow and run through Sept. 28, will be open from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. The market is currently open on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 7 a.m to 3 p.m.

The new market time will feature different live music each week, more prepared food and new vendors, including Silvio’s Organic Pizza and an Algerian baked goods vendor.

The Ann Arbor Farmers Market in downtown Ann Arbor will now be open on Wednesday evenings during the summer. Jessica Webster | AnnArbor.com

Market manager Molly Notarianni said she wanted new vendors to have the opportunity to sell their items at the market, as the current system at the Ann Arbor Farmers Market is based upon vendor seniority. The pilot market will not give preference to long-time vendors, Notarianni said.

“We have lots of new vendors and shoppers that wanted to get into the market who weren’t available during the day on Wednesday or couldn’t get in on Saturday because it’s too crowded,” Notarianni said.

Notarianni said this will be a “new environment” for the Ann Arbor Farmers Market, and she anticipates people spending time in Kerrytown and listening to the live music throughout the evening. She said all the shops in Kerrytown will be staying open until 8 p.m. during the pilot market hours.

“I definitely want this to still be a place where people can buy their groceries, but I also want it to feel like a community event where people can walk and bike down here and hang out,” Notarianni said.

Notarianni also noted that free parking in the evenings should appeal to potential shoppers.

“With new hours and new vendors, this is a pretty big change,” Notarianni said. “But I’ve got a lot of tricks up my sleeve.”

Despite a rainy spring that has limited the amount of available produce, Notarianni said the market has been very busy this season.

As for future plans for the already popular Farmers Market, Notarianni said she is taking things slowly and will see how the pilot market works out.

With the launch of the pilot, the Ann Arbor Farmers Market will join the Westside Farmers Market with evening hours during the week. The Westside Farmers Market is set to open on Thursday for the season.

Lizzy Alfs is a business reporter for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at 734-623-2584 or at lizzyalfs@annarbor.com. Follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/lizzyalfs.