Riverwalk Market Fair opens Saturday, runs through October 26

Grab your tote bags for another summer of freshly grown produce, unique handmade local crafts and other delightful trinkets and wonders.

Riverwalk Market Fair opens this Saturday in downtown Northfield on Bridge Square from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., rain or shine. The operating dates for 2024 are May 18 through October 26.

Great new and returning vendors will be selling mouth-watering foods, fine arts and crafts. Each week, local musicians will entertain shoppers. The first week’s live music will be performed by Ray Coudret, a Northfield favorite.

Riverwalk Market Fair is an open air market located on Bridge Square in historic downtown Northfield. This one-of-a-kind European-style market is open Saturdays from May through October. Each Saturday features a different combination of sustainably grown produce from local farmers, artisan foods, seasonal flowers and a juried selection of the region’s top art and fine crafts.

Included are art works, prints, wood working, fused glass, textiles, wearable art and hand-crafted jewelry, said Betsy Wentz, marketing manager. Wentz said in a news release that anyone interested in becoming a vendor this year still has time to apply.

“The Riverwalk Market Fair takes applications throughout the season and as of now all Saturday’s have space,” said Wentz. Visit the website at riverwalkmarketfair.org to apply. If you have any questions, email Derek at manager@riverwalkmarketfair.org .

Wentz said that Riverwalk Market Fair accepts Snap/EBT and offers a double match on the first $10 off of any EBT transaction, which equates to $30 to spend at the market with only $10 off of the grocery budget.

“Riverwalk also participates in the Senior & WIC Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program,” she said. “We host a Power of Produce Club for kids where youth can do an activity each week and receive a token to spend on fresh produce at the market.”

Lastly, Wentz said the white coolers spaced around the market are there for donations to the Community Action Center’s food access program.

“Folks can purchase fruits and veggies from Riverwalk Market Fair vendors and put them in the white coolers or also bring extra produce from your home or community garden,” she explained. “The coolers are dropped off at the CAC after the market and distributed to the community through the Community Action Center Food Shelf.”