The Ann Arbor Farmers Market is proud to bring farm-fresh produce to the community every week of the year. The gathering place for more than 100 local businesses, the producer-only market offers native plants, artisanal yogurt, cheese and baked goods, fresh-picked vegetables, slow-roasted coffee beans, fermented sauerkraut and Sriracha, cut flowers, hardwood cutting boards and planters, premier Michigan fruits and nuts, maple syrup and so much more.
Visit our Events page (link above) to read more details about our upcoming events.
2019 SPRING EVENTS:
Wednesdays and summer hours begin - Wednesday May 1. Market will be open Wed and Sat, 7 am - 3 pm.
The "Rising Stars" students of the Hudson Education Center will be performing music on Saturday, April 27, 9 am - noon.
Sign up now for a CSA. CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture, and is a membership to a farm for a weekly box of produce all season long. Customers get a discount and eat seasonally. For list of all shares offered by AA Market vendors, including flower, meat, veggie, fish and fruit CSA's, see: CSA information 2019.
Flower Day - Sunday, May 26 (Memorial Day Weekend), 10 am - 4 pm. All things flowers and plants, we combine with the artisan market to offer specials and a large selection. Plus neighborhood businesses also offer flower themed activities. Vendor Application; Community Group Application
Guest Chef Cooking Demos - Third Wednesdays, May - October, 11 am - 1 pm. Chat with local chefs as they show you how to create seasonal recipes using ingredients from the market, plus try samples.
Kids Activities - First Wednesdays, May - October, 10 am - 1 pm. Plus watch for additional days throughout the summer. Hosted by Ann Arbor Leslie Science Center, Hands On Museum, St. Joe's Farm, and more community partners.
Food Truck Rallies - First Wednesdays, May - October, 5 pm - 8 pm.
100th Birthday - The market is 100 years old this year (1919 - 2019)! We will be posting weekly photos and memories from our history each week. Send us your old pictures and memories of the market to swillette@a2gov.org and we will share those too! In addition, we will be collecting interviews to add to our oral history collection. Finally, we have a big birthday party planned for Saturday, August 17th.
Vendors
Visit our Vendors page for information on products, specific vendors, what's fresh, recipe suggestions, csa info and directories.
VENDOR SPOTLIGHT: Stay up to date on the market. View our monthly vendor profiles, event info and parking tips. Download this link to your phone for easy access to the Ann Arbor Farmers Market at all times. If you are wondering whether a specific vendor is at market today, please call the office at 734.794.6255 during market hours.
Parking and Travel
There is free parking in the market lot all winter long.
Car There are several public parking lots and garages within walking distance of the market. Parking garages are located at Ann and Ashley and 4th and Washington streets. Metered parking is available at 4th and Catherine, Ann and Main, and 1st and Huron streets.
Bus The market is just four blocks from the Blake Transit Center (stops for routes 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12A,12B, 15 and 16).
Bike Racks will be coming soon to 5th and Detroit as soon as the weather is warm enough to install.
Currency
$5 Credit Card Tokens The market offers $5 credit card tokens for purchase, which can be used like cash with the vendors in the market. This is a great option for regular customers as well as being the perfect gift for your market-loving friends. The tokens never expire and can be used on any market day. Minimum $20 purchase required.
EBT and Double Up Programs We welcome customers using SNAP dollars at the market. Swipe your food assistance card in the market office and receive $1 tokens to use on eligible food items, including produce, meat, cheese, bread, eggs, and edible plant starts. The
Double Up Food Bucks program is now available year-round for EBT customers. Double your food buying power by receiving up to $20 in matching funds when you purchase EBT tokens at the market.
WIC Project Fresh & Senior Market Fresh Many of our vendors accept these seasonal coupons. For more information about receiving these summer produce vouchers, visit
www.michigan.gov/marketfresh for Senior Fresh or call the Washtenaw County office (734) 544-6800 for WIC Project Fresh.
Community Groups & School Visits
A gathering place
for the community for a CENTURY, the Ann Arbor Farmers Market is proud to
bring farm-fresh produce to the greater community every week, all year long. We
welcome community groups to participate in the following ways.
Rent a Table
The Farmers Market is able to provide space for community groups
to share information, news and upcoming events, and to interact with community
members during market days. If your local community group or non-profit
organization would like to come to the Farmers Market, please fill out
our Community Group Application 2019 and
email it to Becky
Locke.
Host a Kids Activity
Ann Arbor Farmers Market is looking forward to
adding a Kids Activity to the “First Wednesday” Markets during the months of May-October
and for special events. The Kids Activity, held in the new Plaza Area close to
Fifth Ave from 10am-1pm, will provide a fun and safe space for children and
their families to discover and explore a wide variety of hands-on activities
throughout the season. Can't commit to the "First Wednesday"? No problem, we'd still love to have you.
We’re seeking community partners to provide
crafts or demonstrations relating to local food and health. This is a wonderful
opportunity to increase your organization's visibility to thousands of families
in the community. Your date/event will be advertised on the Ann Arbor Farmers
Market website, Market App and social media. Please fill out our Kid's Acitivity Application and email to Becky Locke.
Youth, Seniors, and Group Tours
If you are a large group thinking
about taking a trip to visit us, we have plenty to offer. In the heart of the
Ann Arbor Kerrytown neighborhood, the Ann Arbor Farmers Market is the perfect
space to shop local, learn about growing practices and what’s in season, and
meet vendors. A visit to the Market provides an opportunity to connect to the
local food scene. Visitors become part of the community - speaking directly
with the farmers and artisans.
Most large groups attend our Wednesday
market. The Saturday market can be very crowded and is only possible to
navigate in small groups. The Wednesday market is less crowded and has a diverse
range of vendors, artisans, and lunch options. The Ann Arbor Farmers Market
operates rain or shine, but please keep in mind that it is located outdoors in
a covered area. We encourage you to visit at different times of the year to
gain an understanding of Michigan’s harvest seasons.
If you would like to schedule a group
visit or learn more about the options we have to offer, email Becky Locke.
School Field Trips
The Market is a wonderful and unique place with a wide variety
of opportunities for learning and a rich history of its own. It is our goal to
make your field trip an enriching and collaborative event to ensure students
leave with a lasting impression about the Farmers Market and its relationship
with local food. Successful field trips last 1-2 hours.
The cost of an Ann Arbor Farmers Market field trip is FREE!
However, Market tokens are available for purchase to enhance your students'
Farmers Market experience. Students may spend $5 wooden tokens on items
available for purchase at the market - a great tool for team work, meal
planning, plate building, etc. Our programs also include a guided tour,
activities, and more.
The Ann Arbor Farmers Market operates rain or shine, but please
keep in mind that it is located outdoors in a covered area. We encourage
you to visit at different times of the year to gain an understanding of
Michigan’s harvest seasons.
If you would like to schedule a field trip or learn more about
the options we have to offer, fill out our School Field Trip Application 2019 and email to Becky Locke.
Public Market Advisory Commission
The market commission is made up of two market vendors, two regular customser shoppers, and one neighborhood representative who serve in an advisory capacity for the benefit and betterment of the market. Commission meetings are held at 5:30 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month at Larcom City Hall in the 2nd Floor Council Chambers. All regular meetings and work sessions are open to the public.
The latest meeting agendas and minutes, as well as the
video recordings of previous Public Market Advisory Commission meetings are available online.
Apply
Prior to completing a market vendor application, please read the Applicant FAQs, which contains important information about the application process, fees, license requirements, and answers to other application questions. The Ann Arbor Farmers Market welcomes innovative food and artisan businesses to apply. We especially encourage applications for the following products categories for the 2019 market season:
Native plants
Hot, prepared food
Flower Day Vendor Application - Sunday May 26 Special Event
Flower Day Community Group Application - Sunday May 26 Special Event
Market Operating Rules
All vendors and patrons of the market must abide by the
Public Market Operating Rules.
Food Truck Rallies
Don't miss our monthly food truck rallies on the first Wednesday of every month, May through October. Enjoy live music and purchase food from a variety of Michigan food trucks that offer everything from coffee and donuts to ice cream, wood fired pizza, sandwiches, salads and so much more.
2019 Food Truck Rally Dates: May
1 | June 5 | July 3 | August 7
| September 4 | October 2
Our 2019 Food Trucks and carts include: Petey's Donuts, Naughty Boy's Rolled Ice Cream, Nosh Pit Detroit, MI Ice Pops, Shimmy Shack, Delectabowl, Hero or Villain, Salt and Sugar Co, Simply Spanish, Jamerican Grill, Cosa Sabrosa, Truckshuka, Wood Fired Up, Impasto, 4 Kings Cafe, Mustard's Last Stand, Brother Truckers, Primal Pizza, and Bavarian Inn Cluck Truck. See our facebook page for links to vendor websites, musician information for each rally, and children's activity info.
Read our 2017 End of season report.pdf
2018 Season Report
We are proud to present our 2018_annual_report_farmers_market. Get a glimpse of last year's highlights, our partnerships, and what we're all about.
Construction Projects
5th and Detroit St
AA Downtown Development Authority and City of Ann Arbor will reconstruct
5th Avenue and Detroit St. beginning spring 2018. Plans include
underground utility upgrades, restoration of the historic brick, adding new
trees, improving the bump out area and adding picnic tables, improving
crosswalks, and installing a pedestrian refuge island on 5th Avenue.
The majority of the construction will be along 5th Avenue, with less
impact on Detroit Street. The project is tetatively projected to wrap up by early July 2019. Read more about the project on the DDA's website.
Market Infrastructure Improvement Project
Proposed improvements focus on a new structure to expand vendor stall capacity year-round. The project is intended to serve the entire community as the market evolves and continues to provide both a critical outlet for local food and community gathering space. In spring 2017 the project was put out for bid and came back over budget. Consequently, staff recommends delaying the project. The project’s site plan is approved for a three-year period, and current funds for the project will remain available for when the project can begin. Delaying the project at this time provides staff the opportunity not only to identify additional funding, but to rebid the project and explore other opportunities for potential cost savings. Please visit the project website, www.a2gov.org/marketproject for more information.
