The Durham Farmers' Market is a producer-only farmer's market located in Durham, North Carolina, established in 1998.[1]
As part of the Market's emphasis on locally-produced produce, crafts and flowers, items sold by the Market's more than 50 vendors are restricted to traveling no more than 70 miles (112.7 km) on its journey to Durham. The Market is open year-round on Saturday mornings, and Wednesday mornings from April to November.
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The Market's founding in 1998 marks the beginning of a renaissance of downtown Durham, including the founding of Durham Central Park (2001), American Tobacco Campus (2004) and West Village (2000), as well as the opening of a number of highly-regarded restaurants with an emphasis on locally-sourced produce, that resulted in Durham being named "America's Foodiest Small Town" by Bon Appétit in 2008.[2] Since moving to its current location, the Market has become a weekend fixture for Durham residents, drawing thousands to downtown Durham every Saturday morning in the summer;[3] so much so that, as of July 18, 2009, it was ranked as one of the top three farmer's markets in the U.S., according to Care2's "Love Your Famers Market" contest.[4]
From its founding, until 2004, the Durham Farmers' Market was held every Saturday in the gravel parking lot of the Durham Athletic Park; in mid-2004, the Market moved to the paved parking lot of Measurement Incorporated's headquarters building. Beginning in 2007, the Farmers' Market found a permanent home under the Pavilion at Durham Central Park.[1]