Opening day of the Downtown Windsor Farmers' Market (DWFM) is just days away and this year returns with a full slate of vendors.
The market will once again transform Pelissier Street, between Wyandotte and Park, into a thriving hub of food, music, and community pride-with 70+ vendors on-site each Saturday starting March 29 and running through October 25.
Last month, The DWFM was been named "Farmers' Market of the Year" for the 2024 season by Farmers' Markets Ontario.
Market manager Steve Green says the recognition has given them a significant boost in vendors not normally seen this early in the season.
"We're at capacity from day one, that's a new thing for us to kind of deal with, usually we have a slow build through the season, but we're going to be full," he said. "That's kind of a neat problem to have, is we're starting the year starting to year with a full slate of vendors."
He says the market will have around 40 new unique vendors who are joining for the first time.
"That's always nice to see that there are new businesses, new crafters, new food vendors, new farmers coming on board," Green said. "It brings a fresh sort of look to the market."
Green says over the 16 years, the market has become an incubator for small businesses.
"I don't think that there's a day that goes by that I don't go to a shop or small business that somehow or another wasn't either started at the farmers' market, or had some sort of component with the market, and that's really neat to see," he said."
The markets opens at 9.am. to 2 p.m. each Saturday.