NORTHAMPTON — Grow Food Northampton’s Tuesday Market will open for the season Tuesday, April 14, in the plaza between Thornes Marketplace and the EJ Gare Parking Garage.
The market, which will run each Tuesday from 1 to 6 p.m. for 30 weeks until Nov. 3, is returning for its 19th season, and its 11th season operated by Grow Food Northampton. Tuesday’s opening market will feature 34 vendors and music from the pop duo The Sawtelles.
The market is expected to host dozens of local farmers and vendors selling fresh products including vegetables, cheese, meats, mushrooms, microgreens, honey, maple products, bread, baked goods, flowers, plants, herbal products and hot prepared food. The market will also include a rotation of local musicians.
A rotation of local musicians will perform at all 30 markets. More than 40 farm and food vendors and over 20 artisan vendors will be joining the market over the course of the season.
“The number and variety of local farms, herbalists and food purveyors attending the market grows every year,” Grow Food Northampton’s Farmers Market Manager says Helen Kahn said in a statement. “The market provides a weekly opportunity for our community to connect directly with the people growing, raising, and producing our food. There is a buzz of excitement around town anticipating the opening of this season’s Tuesday Market.”
SNAP benefits can be increased by $10 each week at the Grow Food Northampton market tent through Grow Food Now’s SNAP Match program. Several vendors accept HIP (Healthy Incentives Program), which allows SNAP customers to purchase an extra $40 to $80 each month in fresh produce from local farmers.
“As financial cuts and chaos at the federal level impact our farmers and market customers, we continue to focus on local as much as possible,” Kahn wrote. “ We are grateful for our generous sponsors who support a robust SNAP Match program, making fresh, local, nutritious farm foods accessible to all in our community.”
Additionally, the Northampton Farmer’s Market will operate from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays from April 25 until Nov. 14 on Gothic Street and the Florence Farmer’s Market will run from 2 – 6 p.m. Wednesday from May 1 to Oct. 30 at 90 Park Hill Road.
