It’s that time of year again! The Central Park Plaza Market opened for the first time this year on Tuesday morning. The market will remain open for the rest of the summer on Tuesdays from 8am to 20m, and Saturday mornings from 8am to 12pm.
To see more photos from the event, please click here!
The best part about the farmers market is that you can buy fresh, local produce and products throughout the summer and also enjoy the beautiful summer weather in the heart of Valparaiso.
“Valparaiso is the perfect community for supporting and buying local. I think that the people of Valparaiso really care about where they’re getting their food from and that’s why they like shopping fresh and local,” Valparaiso Events Coordinator, Kara Kozlowski said
This year, the booths could feature a “producers only,” sign. If a vendor grew or produced 90% of their produce, then they could feature the sign on their table. This really helped customers see the hard work that is put into growing the products, and reassurance on how fresh everything really is.
The vendors take pride in their products and enjoy sharing their knowledge on what they make. Owner of Remschneider Honey Farm and Kettle Corn, Doug Remschneider, has been selling his local honey and kettle corn for 6 years now and enjoys coming back each summer.
“I like educating people about honey and all of the good things it can do for you. This event brings people together to socialize more instead of staying in their house. I see the same people every year, so that’s great,” Remschneider said.
From honey to coffee, flowers, produce, meat and body scrubs, there is always so much to look at in the market and a wide variety of vendors. Not only that, but shoppers could also enjoy the other amenities of Central Park Plaza.
“With our partners at Valpo Events, it is great to bring in and showcase local vendors and bringing them into the heart of downtown Valparaiso. It’s something unique that different area businesses can come down to and grab stuff for dinner or just come down and have a bite to eat, enjoy the splash pad or entertainment from the amphitheater, “Director of special projects and events at Valpo Parks, Dan McGuire said.
Nothing says summer like enjoying the weather while shopping local. The Central Park Plaza Market continues to be a highlight of Valparaiso summers and a great way to spend the morning.
“My favorite part about the market is that it is just a great way to take advantage of a really beautiful day, beautiful downtown Valparaiso, to shop local, support our local farmers, and support the local people that come out and take pride in what they make,” Kozlowski said.