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Watauga County Farmers’ Market to Host 50th Birthday Bash May 6

Boone, NC – This year marks the 50th season of the Watauga County Farmers’ Market. Affectionately known as “Boone’s Town Square,” the Watauga County Farmers’ Market has now served as a fixture in this community for half a century! A 50th Birthday Bash to celebrate will be held on Saturday, May 6, also Opening Day for the Market’s main season. The community is invited to join in the festivities taking place from 8:00 AM until 12:00 PM on-site at the Market, located at 591 Horn in the West Dr. in Boone. This bustling market with over 60 local food and craft vendors runs every Saturday morning from April through November.

“It’s quite remarkable that this farmers’ market was started almost fifty years ago, and it is now stronger and more vibrant than ever! This is such a special place to so many folks and a reflection of the character of our community and the values it holds. I feel confident that we will be here for another fifty years and beyond!” said Market Manager, Michelle Dineen.

The 50th Birthday Bash invites vendors and community members alike to remember the Market’s history and celebrate all of the ways it has contributed to our community’s rich cultural and agricultural identity. Participants are invited to share fond Market memories and to reflect on why this place matters and how the farmers’ market has impacted their lives over the years. Live music will be provided by a local favorite, the Loose Roosters. There will be birthday cake shared and children’s activities in the Kid’s Corner hosted by The Children’s Playhouse as well as other birthday giveaways and surprises including a visit from Casting Bread’s famous giant rubber ducky.

“We started up out across from Hampton’s Garage,” remembers Mary Coffey, a vendor who has been with the market since the very beginning in 1974. “That’s where the farmers’ market started, with maybe ten or twelve of us. I think we paid two dollars a day or something like that,” she chuckled. “I believe the market should always stay up at the Horn in the West lot. We’ve just done so well there, and it’s such a great place for the community to gather. To me, it’s all about the people that the Market brings together.”

Community members are encouraged to share any historic photos they have taken over the years at the Market to be included in a community art piece commemorating the Market’s 50th anniversary. Please email photos to wataugacountyfarmersmarket@gmail.com, or bring copies to the Market Info Tent.

2023 Season Vendors include: Against the Grain, Bald Guy Brew Coffee Roasting Co., Boone Barndog, Between the Trees Bread, BFR Meats, Black Birch Her-pothecary, Blue Ridge Apiaries, Blue Ridge Valley Farm, Boone Fungi, Booze & Bouquets, Bridle Creek Farm, Brushy Mountain Farm,  Cottonwood Handmade Leather Goods, Creeksong Farm, Chrysanthemum Home, Denny’s Nursery, E & E Farm, Elijah Holman, Everybody’s Loaded Biscuits, Faith Mountain Farm,  Fermenti, Fiddler Forge, Fire from the Mountain, Fishels Organics, Flowers, Bricks, & Wreaths, Forage Candle, Garden Girl NC, Happy Hens LLC, Heritage Homestead Goat Dairy, High Country Clay,  High Country Fungi,  Hillbilly Joe’s Crafty Stuff, Laureland Greenhouse/Noggin Knits,  Lively Up Farm,  Mary Coffey,  Milky Way Wood Co., Moretz Mountain Orchard,  Mountain Country Creations,  Mountain Flowers Hemp,  Mountain Memories Mountain Roots Farm, Mountain Works, Mountainwise Farm, Mystic Pasta, Owens Farms, Pop-pies, Rachael Salmon Photography, Randy Outz Orchids, Resupply Boone, Simple Wtr, Springhouse Farm, Sunshine Cove Farm, Sweet Dreams Patisserie, Tallarico Healing Art, The Hive Bakery, The Jasper Lotus Tumbling Shoals Farm, Valencia Flavors, Wildwood Community Market, and Wishful Thinking Studios.

The Watauga County Farmers’ Market offers the Double Up Food Bucks program which allows individuals and families to redeem SNAP and Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program benefits at the Market Info Booth. They will receive tokens in double the amount redeemed to be spent at vendor booths on local food.

For more information and to learn more about participating vendors and upcoming events, please visit wataugacountyfarmersmarket.org and sign up for the weekly newsletter which highlights what’s in season and other Market news.