Shop & Discover at the 2024 Culpeper Downtown Farmers Market

Press Release
For Immediate Release: April 24, 2024

Candice Hayes
Special Events Coordinator
Culpeper Renaissance, Inc.
540-825-4416
crievents@culpeperdowntown.com
www.culpeperdowntown.com

Shop & Discover at the 2024 Culpeper Downtown Farmers Market

Culpeper, VA. Market season is upon us, Culpeper Downtown Farmers Market season that is! Visit the longest running and most successful Market in the area on Saturday mornings, with opening day taking place May 4th! Beginning in the 1950s at the agricultural enterprise by Raymond Kite, the Culpeper Farmers Market moved to Downtown by the early 90’s, where it has not only grown, but thrived ever since!

Overseen by Culpeper Renaissance, Inc. (CRI), the Culpeper Downtown Farmers Market is happy to welcome both return and new customers this season! Shop, visit, learn and explore, with a vast array of produce, meats galore, honey, plants, baked goods, eggs, flowers, handmade crafts, dog treats, hard cider and more; you can fill your Saturday mornings, while immersing yourself in community and family friendly fun! Find the Market every Saturday, rain or shine, May through October, 7:30am to 12pm at 318 S. West Street (Culpeper Baptist Church parking lot).

Evan Boone, Culpeper Downtown Farmers Market Committee Chairman and owner/farmer of Three Springs Farm, states “We are really excited about the 2024 Culpeper Downtown Farmers Market. It’s super encouraging to see a lot of new farms starting this year. As a community we really need new innovative farmers. The committee is looking forward to a great season with many new vendors, and of course everyone’s favorites from past years.” Full time vendors include Baire’s Choice Mushrooms, Barajas Produce, Bead Creation & Curios, Blackjack Farms, C&T Produce, Corvallis Farms, Culpeper Hemp Company, Double L Farm & Apiary, Fair Winds Farms/Wandering Bees Apiary, Green Barn Bakery, Gringo Mama Salsa, Hock Newberry Farm, Jenny Flour, Loving Paws Big & Small, Mandi’s Dandies, Moving Meadows Farm, Piedmont Farm & Greenhouse, Shawneehaw Cattle Co., Solar Roots Farm, Son of a Bear Ciders & Teaghlaigh Vineyard, Sunshine Acres Farm, Three Springs Farm, Too Hot to Candle, Uncle Andy’s and Willowlyn Farms Produce. Part time vendors, present on select Saturdays, include 9 Ann’s Flower Farm, A Taste for Rustic, Candlelit Farm, Cedar Hill Woodworking, Cookie Corner by Randi, Culpeper Garden Club, Flowers & Floof, Loaves by Linds, Mars Makes, Native Shire, Nick’s Sharpening Service, Persimmon’s Hollow Farm, Proverbs Pantry, Rapidan River Master Gardeners, Sweet Dove Crochet & Co., and Union Hill Farm.

In addition to over 40 vendors, the Culpeper Downtown Farmers Market also offers children’s programs and SNAP matching! The I’m SOW Healthy Youth Nutrition Education program began over 10 years ago, through the help of Ms. Georgette Mosley, Sr. Program Assistant with Virginia Cooperative Extension Family Nutrition Program (EFNEP). Since then, the program has taken on many roles, including providing an interactive, live cooking demonstration the second Saturday of every month, May through October, showcasing a seasonal, healthy, kid-friendly recipe. Additionally, on the second Saturday of each month, spend time meeting “The People in your Neighborhood” this season as we recognize a different theme or organization each month and tie it back to the kid-friendly recipe. For example, May 11th the Culpeper Downtown Farmers Market will celebrate Law Enforcement Appreciation Month and create Traffic Light Snacks! Also, every Saturday, children can pick up Farmers Market Activity Packs, which include the monthly recipe, an activity sheet, and $5 Farm Fresh Dollars. Farm Fresh Dollars are able to be spent at the Market all season long, on food or food producing plants. Farmers Market Activity Packs can be claimed once a month by children ages 2 to 13 at the green Market Information Tent!

If you are a SNAP recipient, be sure to visit the Culpeper Downtown Farmers Market as your spending power will be doubled! Shop local, fresh produce, meats, and other grocery staples, while connecting with area farmers and growers! Stop by the green Market Information Tent to swipe your EBT card for up to $25. Then receive double the amount in tokens to spend at the Market! SNAP matching is available all season long, or until funds are exhausted.

Culpeper Renaissance, Inc., and the Culpeper Downtown Farmers Market are thrilled this year’s Market programs will benefit from an increase in funding thanks to the PATH Foundation. It is through their generosity and other great community partnerships that CRI can continue producing quality programs which are community-centric, fun and educational! Thank you to PATH Foundation, Kid Central with Culpeper Human Services, Virginia Cooperative Extension-Culpeper Unit, Rappahannock Rapidan Regional Commission, the Culpeper Baptist Church, UVA Health Culpeper Medical Center and the Town of Culpeper.

As CRI’s Board of Director’s President, Glen Hoffherr reports “This year’s Downtown Farmers Market will be better than ever!” and we must agree! Celebrate opening day Saturday, May 4th, with familiar faces, exceptional sounds, and quality products! Plus, Danny’s Bounce House (7:30am-12pm), Brennan’s Balloon Animals (7:30am-9:30am), live music by Eric Misa (9am-12pm) and Sandy’s Face Painting (10am-12pm). Learn more about the Culpeper Downtown Farmers Market, it’s many vendors, the I’m SOW Healthy Youth Nutrition Education program, SNAP matching, the Calendar of Market Events and more by visiting www.culpeperdowntown.com/events/farmers-market/ and be sure to like and follow the Culpeper Downtown Farmers Market on Facebook and Instagram. Questions? Email crievents@culpeperdowntown.com.