The first Saturday in May does something to Elmwood. By seven-thirty, the lot behind the community center is a small city of pop-up tents, and by eight the smell of coffee and frying dough drifts down Maple Street. The farmers market is back for 2025, running every Saturday morning into late October. Whether you have been coming for twenty years or have never once stopped, here is what to expect this season: the schedule, the new faces, the parking situation, and a few habits that make a market morning go better.
When the Market Runs
The market opens at 8 a.m. and closes at 1 p.m. every Saturday, from the first weekend in May through the last weekend in October. You will find it on the lot behind the Elmwood Community Center on Maple Street, between Third and Fourth.
It runs rain or shine. Most growers bring their own tents, so a little drizzle thins the crowd without shutting anything down. In the event of severe weather — lightning, high wind, or a flood watch — the market may close early or cancel for the day, and that news goes out on the market's social pages the night before or the morning of. It is worth a quick check before you drive over in July.
Opening day, specifically
Opening day is the busiest Saturday of the season. The coffee line is long, the strawberry growers sell out early, and the aisles get tight between nine and eleven. If you want a calm first visit, come at eight on the dot or after noon. The last hour is quieter, and some growers will make a deal on what is left rather than pack it back into the truck.
What's New in 2025
A handful of new vendors join the roster this year. Among them are a small produce farm from the west side of the county, a baker milling flour from regional grain, and a prepared-food stall focused on breakfast. Several returning vendors have expanded what they bring, including a dairy that now carries yogurt alongside cheese and butter.
The market has also added more shaded seating near the center of the lot, plus a water refill station by the information tent. That tent, near the main entrance, is the place to ask which vendors accept SNAP or senior nutrition benefits, where the accessible route runs, and who is here this week — the full vendor list changes slightly from Saturday to Saturday as crops come in and out.
What You'll Find, Roughly by Season
- May and June: asparagus, rhubarb, radishes, salad greens, spinach, herbs, and the first strawberries. Seedlings and garden starts are everywhere.
- July and August: sweet corn, green beans, zucchini, cucumbers, blueberries, peaches, and tomatoes that actually taste like tomatoes.
- September and October: peppers, squash, apples, potatoes, onions, pumpkins, and the last of the cut flowers.
- All season: eggs, cheese, bread, pastry, honey, jam, coffee, soap, candles, pottery, and hot food from a rotating group of stalls.
Arrive with a rough idea, not a rigid list. The whole point of a market is that it tells you what is good right now, and that changes week to week.
Parking, Bikes, and Getting There
The community center lot itself is small. It fills by about 8:15, and by nine you are circling. Your better options:
- Side streets. Maple, Third, and the cross streets north of the lot usually have space. Read the signs before you walk away — some blocks are permit-only during the week and fine on Saturdays, and some have two-hour limits that still apply.
- Neighboring lots. A few nearby businesses open their lots to market traffic on Saturdays. Only park where signs say you may, and never in a space marked for a specific business.
- Bikes. There are racks near the main entrance, and the ride in from most of Elmwood is short. It is the fastest way to arrive during the mid-morning rush.
- Bus. Routes along Maple and Third stop within a block of the entrance.
- Drop-off. If you are bringing someone with limited mobility, use the curb cut at the corner of Maple and Fourth rather than the lot entrance, where traffic backs up.
Wherever you park, skip the driveway aprons. Residents along Maple put up with a lot of us on Saturday mornings, and blocking someone's driveway is the fastest way to make the market unwelcome.
Accessibility and Comfort
The main center aisle is paved, and accessible parking sits closest to the community center doors. The side rows sit on grass and gravel, which can be uneven or soft after a wet week; if you use a wheelchair or a walker, ask at the info tent and someone will point you to the smoothest path to the vendors you want to reach. Restrooms inside the community center are open during market hours, and there are benches under the new shade tents.
Leashed, well-behaved dogs are welcome in the open aisles, but keep them out from under the food tents. Strollers work fine at eight; by ten, the aisle gets crowded enough that a smaller stroller or a carrier is easier on everyone, including you.
Seven Tips for Shopping Well
- Bring cash, and bring small bills. Many vendors take cards now, but a five is faster than a tap when the line is ten deep.
- Go early for eggs, berries, bread, and anything in limited supply. Go late for bargains.
- Buy for the week, not the day. If you are buying tomatoes, buy enough to roast and freeze a batch. Same for peppers and corn.
- Ask what is at its peak. Growers would rather tell you than watch you buy the one thing that is between seasons.
- Bring your own bags, and a cooler in summer. Anything with cheese, meat, or dairy will thank you on a hot morning.
- Talk to the person who grew it. Ask how they cook it. You will get a better answer than any recipe online.
- Come with a number in mind and stay near it. It is easy to spend more than you planned, and easy to overbuy produce that wilts by Wednesday.
If you are budgeting carefully, buying in bulk at the peak of a season and preserving it yourself is the cheapest way to eat well from the market all winter. For anything involving food safety — canning, freezing, preserving — follow tested, current guidance rather than a neighbor's method.
Before You Head Out
Check the market's page the morning of your visit for weather changes and vendor updates. Plan to arrive before ten if you want the full selection, or after noon if you want room to move. Bring a bag, bring a friend, and leave a little time to sit in the shade with a coffee. The season runs through late October, so there is no pressure to do everything on opening day — that is what the next twenty-five Saturdays are for.
Photo: Magda Ehlers / Pexels
