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Fresh fruit, vegetables, flowers and more greeted visitors to the Ascension Fresh Market at the Lamar-Dixon Expo Center Saturday morning, as officials with the event held a grand opening ceremony.

The open air market allows farmers from Ascension Parish as well as nearby parishes a location to sell their produce or other agricultural products.

The market was first held during the parish's bicentennial celebration last month and came from the Ascension Chamber's Leadership Ascension program, chamber president Sherrie Despino said.

"Every year, we divide the class into three project teams," Despino said. "This year, one of our project teams chose this project."

Tommy Kurtz, a team member and the president and chief executive officer of the Ascension Economic Development Corporation, was one of the main organizers of the market.

"We felt this was a great project for this community," Kurtz said. "It allows farmers not only from Ascension Parish, but from the surrounding area the chance to sell their items locally and keep the money within this area."

The market has already grown to having 14 vendors during Saturday's event.

AEDC and the Ascension Parish Tourist Commission also help to organize the market, Kurtz said.

The market is governed by an advisory committee that oversees the operations of the market in coordination with Lamar-Dixon, represented by SMG Corporation, and parish government.

Technical assistance for the market was provided from officials of the LSU AgCenter and the Red Stick Farmers Market in Baton Rouge, Kurtz said.

State Agriculture Commissioner Bob Odom, present at the event, said that having outlets such as farmers' markets helps to ensure that local farmers and other agricultural business can keep money within the same area.

"It's good to see a place where farmers can bring their products and market them locally," Odom said.

Gourmet coffee and breakfast are also available for market visitors at the Big Sky Café, located next tot he market, along with free wireless Internet access for laptop enthusiasts.

There will be an effort to expand the market later in 2007, Kurtz said, to include fresh seafood and Louisiana-based prepared foods including the food products of current tenants cooking at the Louisiana Edible Creations Center, the AEDC-operated food incubator also located at Lamar-Dixon.

"We hope this will also grows potential for the products created here," Kurtz said.

Eddie Crawford, general manager of the center, said he hopes the market will be able to work in conjunction with other events coming to the center.

"We feel like people can come here for the market and then possibly stay for other events that may be going on at the same time, or people coming from the other events can stop by the market as well," Crawford said. "It's a win-win situation for everyone involved."

The market is open every Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon at the rear of the main arena at the Lamar-Dixon Expo Center, located at 9039 St. Landry Road, Gonzales.

For information on weekly inventories, call 644-0142 or read the Weekly Citizen for listings of the week's vendors.

For more information on Ascension Fresh Market, call 675-1750 or visit the market's website at www.ascensionfreshmarket.org.