By Victoria Pike
For the Downtown Farmers and Artisans Market, it all started in the mid 1970’s, when some seed customers from Spurlin’s Garden Center thought it would be a good idea to meet weekly at an old train platform to try to profit from the vegetables and fruits they had grown.
Eventually, however, the providing farmers got along in years and their meetups became less frequent until they finally fizzled out.
But that’s not the end! There was still hope. In 1995, the market was reestablished in its current location, 121 Orange Street, near the old train depot, and has been thriving ever since as a 100% locally produced market. It quickly became a grocery anchor for Hot Springs locals, and a special attraction for the tourism industry, since you don’t see homegrown natural foods for sale everywhere.
The Farmers Market has been shown great love throughout its time. In 2006, it received a $52,918 Farmers Market Promotion Program Grant which launched the plans for the pavilion which has become the permanent home of the market.
Being a nonprofit organization means that the market is on an all-volunteer basis. The market also welcomes local organizations, clubs, or other agencies to set up a table for educational or fundraising purposes. Once a month, the market used to be open to youth vendors free of charge, but this year, the market has been extremely generous in that youth vendors can set up anytime free from charge.
May marks the beginning of the of the Market’s main season which means they will now be open on Saturday’s from 7 AM to Noon, with live music starting at 9 AM, and on Tuesday evenings from 4 PM to 7 PM, May 4th through October 26th. Winter hours, November through April, are Saturdays, 9am – noon.
Both SNAP and WIC programs are accepted at the market. If you’re looking for a place to shop local, give back to the community, or enjoy concerts, the Farmer’s Market is just the place for you. To learn more, visit HotSpringsFarmersMarket.com or FB: Hot Springs Farmers Market. Happy shopping!
