Downtown Bloomington’s farmers market is officially open for the summer. Saturday, May 5 marked the beginning of the outdoor season.

The farmers market, located on Jefferson, Main, and Center Streets, offers an array of locally sourced goods such as produce, plants, and art.  

The market is considered a “producer-only market,” meaning that vendors are only permitted to sell items which they themselves have produced. A producer-only market promotes strong relationships between consumers and sellers; it helps connect the Bloomington community with local farmers, artists, and other small business owners.

Beyond connecting the people of Bloomington with tangible products, the farmers market offers a platform for other local industries to interact with the public. Local musicians are featured weekly at the farmers market while the “Kids’ Zone” hosts various organizations vested in children’s education and entertainment.

The mission of the Bloomington farmers market is “to help energize Downtown Bloomington by providing a forum where urban residents can deal directly with the farmers who grow their food products, increasing their knowledge and appreciation for the quality and benefits of locally grown and produced agricultural products.”

The Bloomington farmers market is held outdoors every Saturday from 7:30 a.m.-12 p.m. from May-October. During December-April an indoor market is hosted at the Grossinger Motors Arena every third Saturday of the month.