Since 1996, the Cary Downtown Farmers Market has provided products directly to the community, from members of the community. What started as three small family farms at the market has blossomed into a buzz of activity on the grounds of the historic Ivey-Ellington House in downtown (135 W. Chatham).
“The Ivey-Ellington house is an awesome backdrop for our market,” says Dan Pike, the President of the Cary Downtown Farmers Market.
Dan and his wife Joy, along with other friends and members of their market team, can be found there every Saturday morning between 8:00am and Noon welcoming patrons as they arrive with a smile and a “hello.”
From April until the end of October the market is open from 8:00-Noon, and then in November they shift to 9:00-Noon through the end of March.
“I love the people, I love to come out and see the people including our vendors. The produce from our vendors is picked the night before; you can’t get any fresher than that,” says Joy Pike.
Those vendors Joy is talking about include full-time vendors who are at market every week and a rotation of part-time vendors as well, with all products being grown, raised, made or produced within 100 miles of downtown Cary. Meet the Cary Downtown Farmers Market vendors here.
Full-time vendors include:
- LB’s Farm
- Heaven Scent Honey
- KaLi’s Goodness
- MeadowHawk Farm
- Parker Farm and Vineyard
- OMG Lemonade
- Queen B Farms
- Raleigh Tea Company
- Tsuru Sweets & Coffee
- Paradox Farm Creamery
“We’re so fortunate, we have an amazing group of vendors here each-and-every week. The community has really responded with between 350-400 people coming through every Saturday morning,” says Dan.
Fresh produce, locally sourced meat, eggs and cheeses, honey, and food and drink including coffee can be found at the market.
Dan adds, “We have people that will come and get a cup of coffee and a snack and just hang out. We have live music starting at 9:30, so it just makes for an inclusive and welcoming environment, and we want this to be a place where everyone feels welcome and wants to come.”
With downtown Cary serving as the location, that means there is street parking throughout downtown on S. Harrison, S. Academy and along Chatham Street, as well as limited parking in the lot that calls home to Cary staples like Serendipity and Once in a Blue Moon Cafe.
The schedule is filling up at the market with a local author event aimed at entertaining the kiddos on July 24th and on August 21st the market will host the “Dog Days of Summer.” Their big event will be the return of the Farmers Falls Festival on September 25th. Dan says there will be more than 80 vendors, live music, food trucks, activities for the kids and a good old fashioned pie eating contest.
“We’re just excited for our amazing partners, vendors and community and can’t wait to see everyone every Saturday morning,” says Dan.
More information about the Cary Downtown Farmers Market is available on their website here.