The new Farmer’s Market in Uptown 23 is growing faster than baby ducklings; ducklings you can pet at the Uptown 23 Farmer’s Market on the last Sunday of each month. What began as a passion for bringing locally grown food to a food desert has quickly matured into a regular, dependable part of living near Uptown 23. Their first market in April blew up and was an immediate hit with the neighborhood, as evidenced by strong crowds and volunteers. The first market also had some hiccups, like the trash bins being locked away and unavailable. The market has full trash and recycling now, which is just one example of how determined Uptown’s leadership are in making it one of the best in town.

“We want to make the market as accessible to everyone as possible; making the market Snap and Senior Benefit acceptable was also a huge priority when developing the plans for the market” said Christina Chicoraske, Executive Director for the Uptown 23 business district.

While the oversights of April’s market are long gone, the crowds and vendors are not. As the summer has progressed, the market has stayed strong and attracted thousands of people even during the hot months of July and August. 

“We are also gearing up for September and October which will be a bit more programmed and more organized with some changes made due to vendor surveys and feedback” said Chicoraske, “every month is a learning lesson.”

When asked about the future of the market, Chicoraske said: “We definitely plan on a 2016 season.  We are working with our vendors to figure out what might be the best format for the market.”