Tomorrow is Westport Farmers’ Market day.
From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. — like every Thursday from May to November — the Imperial Avenue parking lot will be filled with shoppers.
Moms with strollers, seniors with walkers, folks who work downtown — and everyone else — will find the ripest berries, freshest sourdough, sweetest honey, tastiest mushrooms and most fragrant flowers around.
(Photo/Quinn Fitts)
They’ll buy produce, meat and dog food, for home. They’ll get lunch too: pizza, Thai food, empanadas.
They’ll listen to music. They’ll learn about local non-profits. They’ll even get their knives sharpened.
A small part of the big scene. (Photo/Matt Murray)
It’s a farmer’s market on steroids (organic ones, of course). (Just kidding!)
And it’s been going for 20 years.
From humble beginnings in the Westport Country Playhouse (thank you, Paul Newman and Michel Nischan) to its much larger, but still down home and funky, version today, the Farmers’ Market is one of our town’s true gems.
It doesn’t magically appear, Brigadoon-like every Thursday. (Don’t forget the winter version, every week at Gilbertie’s Herbs & Garden Center, from November through March.)
Fatto a Mano, at the indoor Farmers’ Market.
The Westport Farmers’ Market blooms because of hard work. Executive director Lori Cochran and her small staff do a spectacular job — behind the scenes 6 days a week, then front and center on Thursday.
The volunteers and musicians deserve a huge hand too.
But of course the Farmers’ Market would be nothing without its dozens of farmers and other vendors. From their fields, kitchens, beehives and other work spaces, to the Imperial Avenue and Gilbertie’s stalls: Thank you!
You are our unsung — but much admired and important — heroes of this (and every) week.
Executive director Lori Cochran, with Fire Chief (and Farmers’ Market regular) Nick Marsan.
(“06880” is proud to honor Unsung Heroes — and tell many other tales of town too. Please click here to support your hyper-local blog.)
Yes! Lori and Hayley and the rest of the staff and volunteers, and the farmers and other vendors are absolutely the best!!! We are so fortunate to have the Westport Farmers’ Market!! Thank you!!