The Downtown Farmers Market is growing.

Beginning next week, the popular market will be open Tuesday evenings — a change officials hope brings Salt Lake City one step closer to a year-round public market.

The weeknight event will be a slimmed down, modified version of the Saturday market. It will run through October.

The Saturday market features more than 200 arts, crafts and produce vendors and brings between 7,000 and 10,000 people to Pioneer Park every weekend.

About 40 vendors will sell fresh produce between 4 and 8 Tuesday nights.

"We'll wait and see how many people show up," said farmers-market manager Kim Angeli. "Saturday is more than just a shopping destination; it's also a social gathering where people reconnect with friends, make new friends and enjoy some music. The Tuesday market is really going to be more of a shopping destination."

Downtown Alliance officials hope to capture commuters who do not trek into the capital city on weekends.

Salt Lake leaders will be watching the Tuesday market's success as they eye the potential for a year-round public market in the downtown area.

"In order for a year-round public market to be successful, we have to show there's an appetite for fresh produce and goods on a daily basis," Angeli said.

Last year, Maine-based Market Ventures Inc. conducted a feasibility study for a year-round market in Salt Lake City. The firm analyzed comparable markets, estimated costs and revenues, and looked at possible sites.

The conclusion: Salt Lake is ripe for a market — if done properly.

Market Ventures reviewed 29 downtown sites and recommended two top choices: the old Ford parking garage and adjacent lot on the southeast corner of 300 South and 400 West, and the central warehouse district just west of The Gateway between 100 South and 200 South.

Adding an extra day to the Downtown Farmers Market will help prepare the area around Pioneer Park for a larger, year-round market, Angeli said.

"It continues to establish the neighborhood as a market district," she said.

e-mail: afalk@desnews.com