These Are America’s Top 25 Local Farmers’ Markets
There’s nothing like hearing that familiar crunch when you bite into a fresh apple that was bought at a local farmers’ market. Dating back to the 1700s, farmers’ markets have deep roots in American history and, today, still give people the chance to shop for local products and engage with the community.
Farmers’ markets have struggled over the years with the rise of grocery stores, but as people became more health conscious (thank you “Supersize Me”), local farmers stepped up to the plate to be a valuable source of fresh and organic food for customers. Today, there are about 8,600 farmers’ markets across the country, and while we’d love to highlight each one, we narrowed it down for you.
Here are the top 25 local farmers’ markets to check out in the U.S. Just don’t forget your reusable bag!
25. Peachtree Road Farmers’ Market
Location: Atlanta, Georgia
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Peachtree Road Farmers’ Market is the largest producer-only farmers’ market in Georgia. “Producer-only” means that everything at the market has been grown, raised or made by the seller, ensuring fair prices for the vendors and the customers.
What Makes It One of the Best
Peachtree Road Farmers’ Market takes place on Saturday mornings, rain or shine, from March 6 to Dec. 11. Bring a few reusable bags and stock up on fresh produce for the week.
This market offers chef demos where Atlanta’s best chefs teach market-goers to use local products. Check out past recipes here.
24. Phoenix Public Market
Location: Phoenix, Arizona
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Contrary to popular belief, you can grow veggies in desert-like conditions. See for yourself at Phoenix Public Market every Saturday morning. This market is committed to offering seasonally grown, local foods, so residents and visitors can support community farmers and small businesses year-round.
23. Baltimore Farmers’ Market & Bazaar
Location: Baltimore, Maryland
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In its 44th season, Baltimore Farmers’ Market & Bazaar is the best way to start a Sunday. It offers seasonal fruit and vegetables, flowers, baked goods, meat and seafood.
What Makes It One of the Best
You can also find handmade crafts, antiques, collectibles and art for purchase throughout the market. Plus, there are gourmet foods, spirits, wine, coffee and hot foods that invite locals to spend all day here.
Who needs a grocery store when you can come here every Sunday from April to December?
22. Boyne City Farmers’ Market
Location: Boyne City, Michigan
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Boyne City is situated on Lake Charlevoix and is a cute little town in northern Michigan with an even cuter tiny home. And it’s farmers’ market lasts all year (yes, even in Michigan), featuring an indoor/outdoor display of fresh produce from local farmers.
What Makes It One of the Best
While potatoes are Michigan's No. 1 crop, you’ll also want to grab some native-grown apples and cherries while you’re at the market.
On certain market days, you might even be graced by live music or food trucks.
21. Newport Farmers’ Market
Location: Newport, New Hampshire
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The Newport Farmers’ Market has been around since the 1990s on the Town Common in downtown Newport. The market is one of the longest-running farmers’ markets in the state.
What Makes It One of the Best
The farms that sell here are located within 50 miles of Newport. Locals can expect to find, of course, vegetables and fruits but also baked goods, locally raised meat, preserved foods and handmade crafts. There’s also prepared foods, such as kettle corn, lemonade and ice cream.
Richards Free Library hosts a storytime for the little ones while mom and dad can pick up fresh and nutritious food for the week. The summer market is open every Friday afternoon from May through September.
20. Portland Farmers’ Market
Location: Portland, Oregon
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Portland Farmers Market is an organization that operates five farmers' markets throughout select neighborhoods in Portland on different days of the week.
What Makes It One of the Best
Collectively, the markets feature more than 200 vendors from Oregon and Southwest Washington, including farms, nurseries, bakeries, meat and seafood providers, cheesemakers and specialty food producers.
Come for the vendors, but you’ll want to stay for the chef demonstrations, live music and festive street-fair atmosphere. Stay weird, Portland!
19. South of the James Market
Location: Richmond, Virginia
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South of the James Market features over 100 vendors from local Virginia businesses. It runs every Saturday, May through October, with special winter hours.
What Makes It One of the Best
The open-air market is a great opportunity to sift through locally grown and hand-made items.
Craving something sweet? Stop by Two and a Half Irish Men for traditional Irish Galway apple cake. Sorry, not sorry for your new addiction.
18. Heirloom Farmers Market
Location: Tucson, Arizona
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There’s plenty of sunshine, mountain views and local products at Heirloom Farmers Market in Rillito Park. It’s Tucson's largest year-round farmers’ market that’s open every Sunday.
What Makes It One of the Best
Four pavilions provide shade for 5,000 square feet of shopping. Heirloom Farmers Market is a great opportunity to participate in chef demonstrations, seasonal food festivals, bicycle-friendly events and local live music.
Don’t miss Taste of the Market, a program dedicated to food education so customers can learn about healthy, local and whole foods while shopping at the market.
17. Dane County Farmers’ Market
Location: Madison, Wisconsin
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Dane County Farmers’ Market claims to be the largest producer-only farmers’ market in the country.
What Makes It One of the Best
Here you’ll find the season’s best bounty of vegetables, flowers, meats, cheeses (!!) and specialty products from 275 vendors throughout the year.
Let’s pause on the cheese because Wisconsin is known for producing (freaking delicious) cheddar, American, mozzarella, brick, muenster and limburger cheese, which tastes even better when you get it directly from the dairy farmer.
16. Eastern Market
Location: Washington, D.C.
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Did you know that Washington, D.C., has the most farmers’ markets of any city in America? Neither did we!
What Makes It One of the Best
Eastern Market is just one that’s located in the heart of the Capitol Hill neighborhood.
This is the best place to find fresh food, participate in community events and, on weekends, shop for local produce and handmade arts and crafts. Food and art are an unstoppable combination.
15. The Farmers’ Market at Lake Walk Town Center
Location: College Station, Texas
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This small but mighty farmers’ market in College Station, Texas features just over 20 stalls, each with its own personality.
What Makes It One of the Best
Here, you’ll find homegrown tomatoes, sausages, candles, soaps, pickles and pecans (not in that order) to bring home to the family.
The market itself is in an awesome spot that’s located right on the lake where you can check out the 75-foot lookout tower or consider paddleboard rentals.
14. Burlington’s Farmers’ Market
Location: Burlington, Vermont
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Since 1980, the Burlington Farmers’ Market has been open every Saturday from late spring through fall in downtown Burlington.
What Makes It One of the Best
This is the type of market that you go to in the morning to pick up a hot coffee and pastry while shopping for local produce for dinner that night.
Don’t make us remind you to stock up on Vermont’s juice from the gods at Brigham Hill Maple Syrup.
13. Des Moines Downtown Farmers’ Market
Location: Des Moines, Iowa
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Since 1975, the Downtown Farmers’ Market has hosted vendors and welcomed patrons from counties across Iowa.
What Makes It One of the Best
Farmers, growers and artisan food entrepreneurs offer locally produced fruit, vegetables, eggs, meat, cheese, wine and more.
The market also hosts a variety of attractions and activities including boutique shops, restaurants and live entertainment.
12. St. Paul’s Farmers' Market
Location: St. Paul, Minnesota
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The Minnesota Pioneer newspaper called for an organizational farmers' market in 1852, and since then, the market found a home in downtown St. Paul.
What Makes It One of the Best
Apart from its seriously deep roots, St. Paul’s Farmers’ Market hosts farmers and vendors who work within a 50-mile radius of the market and come to showcase their products every Saturday.
At this market, you’ll find baked goods, artisan foods, confections and other local products.
11. Aspen Saturday Market
Location: Aspen, Colorado
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Other than incredible mountain views, the Aspen Saturday Market offers more than 120 local vendors who are excited to share their products with the community.
What Makes It One of the Best
The market boasts rows and rows of stalls that include a ceramist, a milliner, a glassblower and about 30 farmers from Roaring Fork Valley.
Vendor standards for this market are strict as they only allow Colorado-made, -grown and -produced products.
10. Ferry Plaza Farmers’ Market
Location: San Francisco, California
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Right outside of San Francisco’s iconic Ferry Building is a farmers’ market that’s held three days a week.
What Makes It One of the Best
The market has been going strong since 1993 and originally served as a link between city folks and local farmers.
Stop by the Ferry Plaza Farmers' Market on Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday to enjoy local flavors and unique craft products from California’s sustainable growers.
9. Charleston Farmers’ Market
Location: Charleston, South Carolina
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Saturdays are buzzing in downtown Charleston, where locals flock to Charleston Farmers’ Market, dedicated to supporting Lowcountry farmers, artisans, live performers and community groups.
What Makes It One of the Best
At this farmers’ market, you’ll find local produce to cook a fresh meal, plants to fill your garden, or flowers to give to someone special. The market also offers live entertainment and arts and crafts.
The market is open every Saturday morning from April through November.
8. Union Square Greenmarket
Location: New York, New York
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Right in the middle of Manhattan is the outdoor Union Square Greenmarket. It was founded in 1976 and includes up to 140 regional bakers, fishermen and farmers.
What Makes It One of the Best
The atmosphere at Union Square on a market day is busy and exciting with thousands of people weaving in and out of each stall.
This market offers the awesome opportunity to watch cooking demonstrations by some of New York's best chefs. Union Square Greenmarket is open every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, year-round.
7. Coventry Farmers’ Market
Location: Coventry, Connecticut
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The small town of Coventry hosts a bumpin’ farmers’ market every Sunday from June to October.
What Makes It One of the Best
Cool off with Chet’s Italian Ice, or waddle out of Granny’s Pie Factory while shopping for colorful veggies for a week of groceries.
Coventry Farmers’ Market also hosts food trucks and arts and craft stalls to complete a wholesome day with the community.
6. Boulder Farmers’ Market
Location: Boulder, Colorado
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The Boulder Farmers’ Market began in 1987 and blossomed into a well-organized event with up to 150 vendors.
What Makes It One of the Best
Here, you’ll find the best organic Colorado-grown produce as well as colorful flowers, bedding plants, corn stalks, homemade soaps and other farm-oriented crafts.
Rounding out the earthy selections are farm-fresh eggs, honey and roasted chilies. Let’s get local.
5. South Anchorage Farmers’ Market
Location: Anchorage, Alaska
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Did you know that 95 percent of the food in Alaska is imported from other states? South Anchorage Farmers’ Market brings it back to the Last Frontier, though, to offer locally grown produce, meats, prepared foods and baked treats.
What Makes It One of the Best
The market is open on Saturdays from May to October and Wednesdays from June to September.
You’ll regret walking away without a bag of Sweet & Sassy Kettle Corn to snack on throughout the week.
4. Crescent City Farmers’ Market
Location: New Orleans, Louisiana
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This New Orleans farmers’ market is a collection of seven weekly markets in one.
What Makes It One of the Best
The bright and colorful outdoor market is a great place to spend a sunny afternoon.
If you’re into pickles, zoom over to Pickled Nola. Looking for a hard-to-find spice? The Spicy Lady is your new guru. Plus, this farmers’ market offers home-delivery boxes on Tuesdays if you can’t make it during the week.
3. Hilo Farmers’ Market
Location: Big Island, Hawaii
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Anything from an island is going to be fresh and tasty. Hawaii’s Big Island hosts a huge farmers’ market featuring food from up to 200 local farmers.
What Makes It One of the Best
Fill your basket with papaya, taro, bananas, jackfruit, bok choy and fresh spices, and leave with organic ingredients to make a flavorful dinner.
Given the tropical temperatures, the market also boasts an assortment of exotic flowers and crafts from local artisans.
2. Pike Place Market
Location: Seattle, Washington
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Oh, you knew we were going to include this gem of a spot in downtown Seattle.
What Makes It One of the Best
Snap a picture in front of the neon Public Market sign, and wander into a community of local vendors. You’ll need to clear out your schedule, and take your time sifting through the farmers’ market, craft market and specialty foods section.
If you didn’t take a pic in front of the iconic gum wall, did you even go to Pike Place?
1. Historic Soulard Farmers’ Market
Location: St. Louis, Missouri
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St. Louis hosts a year-round farmers’ market that’s a great place to stock up on fruits and veggies for the week.
What Makes It One of the Best
This market began operating in 1779 (that’s over 200 years ago!) and is one of the oldest public markets still operating in the U.S.
It’s a huge setting, so arm yourself with reusable bags and a chunk of time. Refuel at Soulard Spice Coffee & Tea Shop to keep up the energy.
