Buy, Eat, Live Local in Blacksburg

Somehow, in my almost two years living in Blacksburg, I only just made it to the Farmer’s Market for the first time. Although it’s known as a staple to the Blacksburg community, I never bothered to roll out of bed early enough on a Saturday morning to check out what the market had to offer.

This was until a school project for my Visual Media class brought me out of bed and into the world before 2 in the afternoon. Armed with my well-loved Nikon and absolutely no cash, I made my way downtown to see what I’d been wanting to check out for the past year and a half.

After visiting the Farmer’s Market and seeing the local vendors come out, I decided to look further into the market, its history, and what it has to offer.

Originally in a parking lot, local farmers started the Farmer’s Market in the 1980s as a way to encourage buying locally produced goods. The market grew as the Market Square Park came to be. The park became what it is today in 2009, giving the market a permanent location.

Despite having evolved over the years, the aim of the Farmer’s Market has remained the same. Their website lists six goals, from providing opportunity to local vendors, promoting health through offering an affordable way to buy produce, and contributing to the vibrant Blacksburg community.

The Blacksburg Farmer’s Market is known for more than just selling local goods, but for its many events. Mingle at the Market and Vintage Market are two popular events that are held in the warmer months. Mingle at the Market offers drinks, live music, and a dose of that local flavor people come to the market for.

Vintage Market, occurring on the second Sunday of the month from April to November, is a way to buy and sell vintage goods. The Vintage Market boasts having “the best selection of vintage Vinyl, Clothing, Jewelry, Books, Housewares, Oddities, and who knows what else.” Everything sold is required to be pre-1984 and of good quality, giving people the opportunity to find unique items.

Despite taking a year and a half to get there, I fell in love with the Farmer’s Market this weekend. I’m excited to continue visiting and seeing what the local community has to offer!