This summer, the Richfield Farmers Market is celebrating 35 years of enriching lives with locally grown fruits, vegetables, and a laundry list of other items. Many things will stay the same this year for the Market. But there are a few changes in the works, too!
What’s staying the same?
The Market will still occur every Saturday from 7 a.m. – noon from May-August. In September/October, the Market will be open 8 a.m. – noon. And of course, Veterans Park will once again host the Market (6335 Portland Avenue in Richfield).
This will be the second straight year the Market offers an extended outdoor season. Every Saturday from May 4 through Oct. 26 you’ll be able to visit the Market outside in Veterans Park. That’s 26 straight Saturdays!
Yoga at the Market will be back again in 2024—every Saturday! These popular sessions are 45 minutes long, run from 8:45-9:30 a.m., and are completely free to the public. All you have to do is bring your own yoga mat! And all ages are welcome—lots of kids participated last year!
The popular “Power of Produce Club” (POP Club) will be back again in 2024, too. This is a program designed for kids ages 4-17 and adults ages 55-plus. Each participant is given $2 in “P.o.P. bucks” to purchase a fruit, veggie, or plant that produces food at the Market each week. You can sign up right at the Market at the Power of Produce Club booth. What a great way to promote healthy eating!
Live music is back again in 2024—every week! The Market will feature two sets each Saturday including a variety of genres and artists from across the Twin Cities. First set will start at 8:45 a.m. and music will go until noon each Saturday (which is a little longer than past years). You can check out the full music lineup for the season on the Market’s web site.
Master gardeners will also be back in 2024. Each week, these volunteers can help you with basic gardening questions or provide research-based horticultural information and educational activities. A great resource for all!
What’s Changing?
2024 will also bring with it some additions and changes for the Market. For starters, the Market’s vendor list is growing! In fact, the roster has expanded quite a bit in 2024, growing from 54 in 2023 to more than 70 this year. On any given Saturday, you’ll find 40-50 vendors at the Market, but it will be great to have a larger list to pull from each week.
Among the interesting new vendors is Yummytizers, which offers a variety of flavored hummus dips, Mediterranean salads, fruit-flavored kefir yogurts, and other Mediterranean foods. Yummytizers joined the Richfield Winter Market last year and signed up for summer this year.
Another new addition to the Market: This year, you’ll have another delivery option! If you live in the Richfield, Bloomington, or Minneapolis areas, you can have your produce and other farmers market products delivered right to your home. Or you can purchase a produce box that you can subscribe to on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. Either way, what a great way to get local produce delivered right to your doorstep!
Finally, the Market will be participating in a few special event days throughout the summer in Richfield. Starting with the popular city-wide Richfield Garage Sale on May 18! Vendors will have garage sale items at their booths, and the Market will open up space for residents who don’t have a yard/garden for their own garage sale.
On May 25, just a week later, the Market will host its annual “Bike to the Market Day,” which brings out a lot of cyclists each year. The Market will offer up balance bikes for younger kids to try, and an obstacle course for more experienced riders. The Farmstead Bike Shop will also be on hand to perform tune-ups and check-ups on your bikes.
Finally, on August 10 we’ll celebrate National Farmers Market Week with community booths, games, and activities for all ages.
Overall, it’s going to be a fantastic 35th anniversary of the Richfield Farmers Market this year. We hope to see you Saturdays this spring, summer, and fall!
