Fans of fresh homegrown produce, baked goods, local crafts and community camaraderie will celebrate the season grand opening of the Hitching Lot Farmers Market from 7-10 a.m. Saturday. The site is Second Avenue and Second Street North in downtown Columbus.
Thirty-two annual vendors are already signed up for the entire market season and HLFM Coordinator Katherine Lucas of Main Street Columbus expects an additional 10 or so vendors for the festive grand opening.
Beginning May 12, the market will be open three days each week, Mondays from 4-6 p.m. and Thursdays and Saturdays from 7-10 a.m., through September. It will be open Saturdays from 7-10 a.m. in October.
Sizzling Second Saturdays in May through August include special activities.
“This Saturday we’ll have Project CHEW down there with healthy food demonstrations, plus music by Melvin Mordecai, and Mother Goose will be there,” Lucas said. “Columbus Fire and Rescue will bring a ladder truck, and kids will be painting and decorating wooden picture frames to take home.”
Project CHEW is the Mississippi University for Women Culinary Arts Institute’s mobile kitchen and food truck. It will be on site for each Sizzling Second Saturday.
Other Second Saturday features planned are:
“We really want people to come out and support their local growers and craftspeople,” Lucas said. “There’s new produce almost every week as different things come into season. It’s more than a farmers market; you have your social hour, too, and see people you may only see at the market.”
For information about becoming a vendor, or becoming a Friend of the Market for as little as $10, contact Main Street Columbus, 662-328-6305, or email [email protected].
Jan Swoope is the Lifestyles Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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