Milk Mart is Orlando's Go-To Local Art and Food Festival

With the desire to make local art accessible to all in Orlando, Ashley Hallenback has turned Milk Mart into a thriving local art and food festival that takes place in the Milk District every quarter.

“I like to think of it as a funky farmer's market where you can find farmer's market stuff, the classic handmade soaps, candles, and ceramics, but you can also find artists that you would see at a convention like MEGACON.”

When Ashley took over Milk Mart in 2018, from then host Danny Forester, she wasn’t sure if people who weren’t in the local art scene knew where to buy local art. She wanted to provide a much better alternative for those who wanted art but were buying mass-produced pieces from places like Target, Walmart, etc.

Born in Florida, Ashley’s family moved to North Carolina when she was 5 years old. After earning a degree in design at the University of North Carolina, she moved to Orlando to work in package design for the theme parks.

She eventually left the theme park industry as she felt the design houses prioritized profit over creativity and human experience.

When Ashley took over the reigns of Milk Mart, it was generating a modest gathering of 100 guests with approximately 30 vendors in a single parking lot. With other markets going on around town Ashley said, “Improving the vendor experience was one of the first things that I tackled.”

To do this, Ashley organized a team she refers to as the Moo Crew. She describes the Moo Crew as the light of her life, the apples of her eye. They are a dedicated team that assists in the production of Milk Mart events to make things run smoothly.

She credits Moo Crew with significantly enhancing the vendor experience at Milk Mart, noting that their efficiency and dedication have been so impactful that they've been contracted to assist with other events.

Since taking over Milk Mart, Ashley’s commitment and work ethic has helped grow the event significantly. With her next Milk Mart event right around the corner, Ashley says they plan to have around 300 vendors across multiple parking lots.