Farmers’ Market Returns To Downtown Bradenton

BRADENTON, FL – Fans of fresh food and fresh air will get their fill of both when the Downtown Bradenton Farmers’ Market opens for the season.

The market’s 2016-17 season is set to open Saturday, Oct. 1. The market’s hours are 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Saturday through the end of May. Parking is free and dogs on leashes are welcome.

The market sets up on Old Main Street, just north Manatee Avenue. The tree-lined retail district of cafes and restaurants runs three blocks north from Manatee Avenue to the Manatee River, where it meets the Bradenton Riverwalk.

There are more than 35 vendors who offer locally-grown fruits, vegetables, plants, organic products, fresh seafood, and prepared foods. Some vendors offer the work of local artists and craftspeople. Click here to see a list of the Downtown Bradenton Farmers’ Market vendors.

On the third Saturday of each month, the farmers’ market plays host to Mainly Art, where dozens of local artists and craftspeople display and sell their creations. The event features arts, crafts, live music and food on Fourth Avenue West, perpendicular to the Bradenton Farmer’s Market on Main Street. Click here to see a list of the Mainly Art vendors.

Johnette Isham, the executive director of Realize Bradenton, the nonprofit organization that produces and promotes the market, said this year’s market will feature several new initiatives this season. One of the new features includes a grant that will allow the market to support the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program EBT.

The SNAP Bonus Bucks program is available to buy fresh produce, seafood, poultry, beef and other foods like bread, honey, cheese, olive oil and herbs up to $20.

For more information, visit http://www.realizebradenton.com/farmers_market.

Image via Carol VanHook, Flickr, used under Creative Commons