Category: Events

Eat the rainbow at the market on Saturday, June 1!

School’s almost out and we’re all looking forward to summer adventures. Our favorite spring produce will only be around for a little while longer so savor the flavors of this special time of the year before new produce starts arriving in the upcoming weeks. We challenge you to make a salad with only ingredients from the farmers’ market this week. With so many veggies to choose from, this will be easy! And you can still sweeten up your salad with some of the last strawberries of the season!

Running of the Bulls 8K Race

The 11th annual  Running of the Bulls 8K is happening THIS Saturday, June 1. This is an 8-kilometer road race that starts at 7:15 am on Foster Street and Seminary near the Durham Farmers’ Market and finishes with a lap of the warning track inside the historic Durham Athletic Park. A course map that details all roads that will be impacted can be found here.

There will be some road closures and delays along the race course that will occur between 7:15-8:20 am on Saturday, June 1. We apologize in advance for any inconvenience that this may cause and hope that this will allow you to plan in advance if you need to reach Durham Central Park that morning. There is a 15 minute per mile time limit for participants, and the anticipated time-of-use for impacted roadways is detailed below.

Thank you, in advance, for your understanding and support. If there are any questions, please contact us.

Anticipated Time-of-Use for Impacted Roadways

  • Start Area: Foster St. and Seminary St. (6:00-7:20AM)
  • Mile 1: Main St to Buchanan Blvd (7:15-7:30AM)
  • Mile 2: Buchanan Blvd to Watt St. & Trinity Ave (7:20-7:45AM)
  • Mile 3: Trinity Ave to Washington St & Morris St (7:25-8:00AM)
  • Mile 4: Morris St to Downtown & Ramseur St (7:30-8:15AM)
  • Mile 5: Downtown & Main St to Morris St. & Corporation St. (7:35-8:30AM)

Upcoming Events

Saturday, June 15

  • Chat with the Master Gardeners from 8 am-noon.

Wednesdays: June 19 through August 14

  • Calling all kiddos! Join us every Wednesday afternoon for the Sprouts Kid’s Club. After you complete a free activity, you’ll earn $3 in Sprouts Club Bucks to spend on fresh fruits and veggies. We can’t wait to see you at the market!

Saturday, July 13

  • Mark your calendars for Tomato Day – it’s always one of the highlights of our year!

Want to learn more?

Read the rest of the May 31, 2019 newsletter or sign up to receive the next newsletter in your inbox.

Kickoff Memorial Day Weekend at the farmers’ market on Saturday, May 25!

Happy Memorial Day weekend! Kick off your holiday celebration with a visit to the farmers’ market and stock up on the freshest food to serve your family and friends. Planning on grilling this weekend? You will find a variety of meat at the market, including beef, bison, chicken, pork, lamb, and much more. And we have the perfect produce to accompany your meat. Check out these tips for grilling veggies and don’t forget to try something new. How about grilled kohlrabi or kohlrabi and carrot coleslaw? You’ll also find zucchini, squash, broccoli, cauliflower, beets, radishes, onions, potatoes and more. And don’t forget to round our your meals with local cheese, baked goods, beer, wine, mead and kombucha. Set your alarm clock and join us tomorrow morning at Durham Central Park!

Also, we’re excited to welcome back our friends from the Living Arts Collective and Durham Ecstatic Dance. Join them on the lawn at 10:00 am for a Community Dance Wave! This event was so much fun last month and is for all ages. You don’t want to miss this!

Upcoming Events

Saturday, June 1

  • The 11th Annual Running of the Bulls 8K will take place around the market. If you’re an early shopper, give yourself extra time to get to Durham Central Park because several roads around downtown will be closed during the race.

Saturday, July 13

  • Mark your calendars for Tomato Day – it’s always one of the highlights of our year!

Want to learn more?

Read the rest of the May 24, 2019 newsletter or sign up to receive the next newsletter in your inbox.

Join us for a flower arranging workshop & chat with the Master Gardeners on Saturday, May 18!

Spring is in full bloom at the market and there’s something new and exciting every week! Tomorrow cauliflower will make an appearance, along with an increased quantity of cucumbers, summer squash and zucchini. Sugar snap peas are growing strong, as are strawberries. It’s getting easier and easier to eat the rainbow during this colorful time of the year. So grab your water bottle and sun hat and make plans to spend time with your favorite local food producers tomorrow morning!

And if the seasonal local produce wasn’t exciting enough, we’re looking forward to hosting a special event tomorrow with the team from West Point on the Eno. Register for their flower arranging workshop and go home with a beautiful arrangement for your home or to give to a friend.

Don’t forget that the team of Master Gardeners will be at the market tomorrow to answer your toughest plant questions. We’re so grateful to have them share their expertise with our market community!

Finally, join Blue Point Yoga Center for a fun morning of free yoga every Saturday. Class begins at 9:00 am and will take place in the lawn adjacent to the Brannan. Remember to bring your yoga mat and a water bottle. For more information, visit Durham Central Park’s website.

Upcoming Events

Saturday, May 25

Saturday, June 1

  • The 11th Annual Running of the Bulls 8K will take place around the market. If you’re an early shopper, give yourself extra time to get to Durham Central Park because several roads around downtown will be closed during the race.

Saturday, July 13

  • Mark your calendars for Tomato Day – it’s always one of the highlights of our year!

Want to learn more?

Read the rest of the May 18, 2019 newsletter or sign up to receive the next newsletter in your inbox.

Celebrate moms & grads at the market on Saturday, May 11!

This is one of our favorite weekends of the year in Durham! Not only are we celebrating moms, but we also get to share in the joy of everyone who is graduating. Let’s face it, we wouldn’t be where we are today without the mother figures in our lives. Be sure to show them how much you love them with a local meal or gift from the farmers’ market. And if you’re lucky enough to celebrate a college grad this weekend, make sure you share the tastiest local treats with them.

Still looking for the perfect Mother’s Day gift (in addition to the beautiful flowers, chocolate, cards, crafts and more that you’ll pick up at the market)? Farmer Foodshare has you covered! Help another mother in our Durham community provide fresh, local, nutritious food for their family. Nothing’s sweeter than that! Visit Farmer Foodshare’s booth (near the market’s Info Table) for more details and to make a donation in honor of your mother.

Also, don’t forget to join Blue Point Yoga Center for a fun morning of free yoga and community in Durham Central Park every Saturday. Class begins at 9:00 am and will take place in the lawn adjacent to the Brannan. Remember to bring your yoga mat and a water bottle. For more information, visit Durham Central Park’s website.

Finally, we hope you enjoyed the Protein Palooza last weekend! We want to give a huge THANK YOU to the local chefs that whipped up the delicious samples featuring meat and produce from our vendors:

Upcoming Events

Saturday, May 18

  • Join the team from West Point on the Eno for a flower arranging workshop at 8:30 am.

Saturday, May 25

Saturday, June 1

  • The 11th Annual Running of the Bulls 8K will take place around the market. If you’re an early shopper, give yourself extra time to get to Durham Central Park because several roads around downtown will be closed during the race.

Saturday, July 13

  • Mark your calendars for Tomato Day – it’s always one of the highlights of our year!

Want to learn more?

Read the rest of the May 10, 2019 newsletter or sign up to receive the next newsletter in your inbox.

Join us every Wednesday from 3-6 pm & Saturday from 8 am-Noon!

One of the most exciting aspects of shopping at a local farmer’s market is the anticipation seasonal produce. All year long we are able to celebrate the arrival of delicious and unique foods that are not available all the time the way they are in a typical grocery store. The freshness and quality of this produce is undeniable, and shoppers have the opportunity to ask questions to the very farmers who have planted, grown, and harvested it!

Speaking of seasons, spring is here and is one of my favorite times at the market. The air is getting warmer, everything is becoming greener, and we start seeing produce that is only available for a short period every year. Here is a list of some of the great, can’t-miss produce at the market during springtime.

Asparagus: Asparagus can be found at the market from mid March- April depending on weather. It’s one of the three common vegetables in North America that comes from a perennial plant, including rhubarb and artichokes. Amazingly, asparagus spears can grow up to 6 inches or more in one day. This spring favorite can be prepared many ways, but we recommend simply marinating the spears in olive oil, lemon, salt, and pepper and grilling for about 5 minutes, making sure to turn the spears every minute or two!

Strawberries: Strawberries are heralded as the first fruit of spring, and are available at the market April- early June, depending on weather. Did you know what they are the only fruit that has its seeds on the outside? For this reason, botanists consider each strawberry seed be its own individual fruit. If you like to rinse strawberries, be sure to wait until right before you plan to eat them. They will keep much longer if they are stored this way. Also, if you know you will eat your strawberries in a day or two, they will be more flavorful left out on the counter than they are after they’ve been in the fridge!

Rhubarb: It is no coincidence that rhubarb is a popular addition to strawberry desserts because they have a very similar growing season and are available at the market at the same time of year. Field-grown rhubarb’s peak season is April and May, and again this always depends on what the weather is like. Be sure to remember that only the stalks of the rhubarb are edible, and the leaves are toxic to humans. Rhubarb stalks can be eaten raw, but also can be used nicely to enhance the flavor of other fruits. It is delicious in pies, cakes, sauces, jams, and more.

Other incredible spring produce available this time of year includes radishes, leeks, arugula, artichokes, snow peas and pea shoots, salad turnips, fennel, bok choy, and broccoli, to name a few!

With our full season hours in swing, you now have more flexibility to find this produce every week. Visit the market on Saturday mornings from 8:00 am-Noon, and on Wednesday afternoons from 3:00-6:00 pm. See you soon!

Join us for our Protein Palooza on Saturday, May 4!

Celebrate the bounty of the Spring season at our first annual Protein Palooza! The event starts at 9 am and samples will be provided ’til the food runs out! Thanks to support from Got to Be NC Agriculture, we’re hosting an event to feature our incredible protein vendors, including:

Don’t forget to check out our additional protein vendors, including:

The following restaurants will be whipping up delicious samples featuring local meat and seasonal veggies:

This event is kid-friendly and we encourage everyone to sample the delicious meat and vegetarian side dishes available. For more information, check out the Facebook event. See you there!

Upcoming Events

Saturday, May 11

  • Celebrate Mother’s Day and Duke’s Graduation weekend!

Saturday, May 18

  • Join the team from West Point on the Eno for a flower arranging workshop at 8:30 am.

Saturday, May 25

Saturday, July 13

  • Mark your calendars for Tomato Day – it’s always one of the highlights of our year!

Want to learn more?

Read the rest of the May 3, 2019 newsletter or sign up to receive the next newsletter in your inbox.

Celebrate local, pasture-raised meat & seasonal veggies on May 4!

Celebrate the bounty of the Spring season at our first annual Protein Palooza! Thanks to support from Got to Be NC Agriculture, we’re hosting an event to feature our incredible protein vendors, including:

Don’t forget to check out our additional protein vendors, including:

The following restaurants will be whipping up delicious samples featuring local meat and seasonal veggies:

This event is kid-friendly and we encourage everyone to sample the delicious meat and vegetarian side dishes available. For more information, check out the Facebook event. See you there!

Enjoy spring favorites and pick up your button for CFSA’s Farm Tour on Saturday, April 27!

We cannot wait to kickoff a perfect spring weekend with you tomorrow! With the warmer weather, we hope you’re making progress on your garden and that you’re enjoying the mild evenings outdoors. Do you need a little inspiration? Visit a farm! Be sure to pick up your button at the Info Table for Carolina Farm Stewardship Association’s Piedmont Farm Tour. Several of our vendors are participating in the tour, where you’ll have the unique opportunity to go behind-the-scenes and see where your food comes from. What’s cooler than that?

We’re very excited to kick-off a new dance series at the market. Tomorrow you can join the Living Arts Collective and Durham Ecstatic Dance for a Community Dance Wave from 10:00-11:30 am. This event is for kids and adults and encourages playfulness. You don’t want to miss this opportunity to move your body and spend time with your neighbors!

Finally, please join us tonight for a special event at Durham Central Park. Yoga Off East and SYNCStudio are hosting a yoga fundraiser to benefit the families affected by the gas explosion. 100% of the proceeds will contribute equally to the Lee family and other Durham residents and employees impacted by the accident. For more information, please visit their website.

What’s for dinner?
Durham Farmers’ Market Spring Salad

Serves 2-3 people as a main or 4-6 people as a side

Salad Ingredients

  • 6 cups of greens, such as lettuce, spinach, baby kale, arugula, beet greens, etc.
  • 1 cup sliced strawberries
  • 1-2 radishes, sliced thin
  • 1 cup fresh broccoli florets (broken into small pieces)
  • 2 tablespoons chopped green onion
  • 1/4 cup crumbled cheese

Vinaigrette Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons vinegar of choice or lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons honey (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon or spicy mustard (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh chopped herbs (optional)

Chef’s Tip: Have fun substituting favorite veggies in the salad depending on what’s in season. Create your perfect vinaigrette with this base recipe that makes endless flavor combinations. We like red wine vinegar with basil or cilantro. Making dressing at home takes only minutes and provides more taste and nutrition than the bottled kind. Enjoy!

Upcoming Events

Saturday, May 4

  • Celebrate local, pasture-raised meat at our chef cook-off hosted with Got to Be NC from 9:00-11:00 am. For more details, check out the event page online.

Saturday, May 11

  • Celebrate Mother’s Day and Graduation at the market with a special children’s activity on the lawn.

Saturday, July 13

  • Mark your calendars for Tomato Day – it’s always one of the highlights of our year!

Want to learn more?

Read the rest of the April 26, 2019 newsletter or sign up to receive the next newsletter in your inbox.

Kickoff our 20th anniversary season with a Family Field Day event on Saturday, April 20!

We’re excited to spend the holiday weekend together! You’ll find goodies for everybody’s Easter baskets at the market tomorrow. We’ve got you covered with tasty treats, handmade gifts, plants and much more. Make a date with your favorite food producers on Saturday morning and support your community while celebrating Easter and Passover.

We hope you’ll join us for our 20th anniversary kickoff celebration tomorrow! Chan Little from The 360 Approach will host a family field day on the lawn. There will be activities for kids and adults and everyone is encouraged to get involved in this fun event.

In an effort to become a zero-waste market, we’ll be handing out free canvas tote bags tomorrow. If you have extra reusable bags at home, please bring those and we’ll share them with customers as the season continues. We’re excited to share our other zero-waste initiatives as we all work together to take care of our Earth.

Please mark your calendars for a special event at Durham Central Park on Friday, April 26. Yoga Off East and SYNCStudio are hosting a yoga fundraiser to benefit the families affected by the gas explosion. 100% of the proceeds will contribute equally to the Lee family and other Durham residents and employees impacted by the accident. For more information, please visit their website.

Finally, we hope you’ve seen the Compost Now bins at the market. We’re happy to announce that waste recovery will be provided by Gather Green and Compost Now. If you enjoy a tasty treat at the market, be sure to compost any items you can in these containers.

Upcoming Events

Saturday, April 27

Saturday, April 27-28

Saturday, May 4

  • Celebrate local, pasture-raised meat at our chef cook-off hosted with Got to Be NC from 9:00-11:00 am.

Saturday, May 11

  • Celebrate Mother’s Day and Graduation at the market with a special children’s activity on the lawn.

Want to learn more?

Read the rest of the April 19, 2019 newsletter or sign up to receive the next newsletter in your inbox.

Spend your Saturday with your community on April 13 from 8:00 am-noon

This has been a sad week for our Durham community. Our hearts are with everyone impacted by the tragic accident and the first responders who diligently worked to ensure the safety of our community.  Please join us in Durham’s backyard on Saturday for comfort, conversation and time with your neighbors at Durham Central Park. In the meantime, check out this comprehensive list from Discover Durham regarding fundraising efforts for those impacted by the accident.

As a reminder, we’re operating on our Main Season Market hours of 8:00 am-noon. Vendors returned to their regular spots so if you have trouble finding your favorite vendor, swing by the Info Table and we’re happy to tell you where they’re located. Don’t forget that the Wednesday Market kicks off this week so join us to re-stock on your mid-week groceries every Wednesday from 3:00-6:00 pm.

Hopefully you’ve seen the Compost Now bins at the market. We’re happy to announce that waste recovery will be provided by Gather Green and Compost Now. If you enjoy a tasty treat at the market, be sure to compost any items you can in these containers. Let’s continue making progress toward becoming a zero-waste market!

Finally, please mark your calendars for our 20th anniversary kickoff celebration next Saturday, April 20. Chan Little from The 360 Approach will host a family field day on the market lawn. There will be events for kids and adults and everyone is encouraged to get involved in this fun event.

Upcoming Events

Wednesday, April 17

  • The opening day of the Wednesday Market from 3:00-6:00 pm. Hooray for re-stocking your favorite local food at the mid-week market!

Saturday, April 20

  • Join us as we kickoff our 20th anniversary celebration with a family field day hosted by Chan Little of The 360 Approach.
  • Celebrate Earth Day and join our efforts to become a zero-waste market! Pick-up a free reusable canvas tote bag on the market lawn to use all season. If you have extra canvas totes at home, please bring those to share with others in our community.

Saturday, April 27-28

Saturday, May 4

  • Celebrate local, pasture-raised meat at our chef cook-off hosted with Got to Be NC from 9:00-11:00 am.

Want to learn more?

Read the rest of the April 12, 2019 newsletter or sign up to receive the next newsletter in your inbox.