Great news! IFM will return to Town Park for the Grand Opening of the 2024 season on May 3 at 9am. We’ll have a full house of vendors including 4H selling berry plants and Fiber Artisans. Opening Day will also be held in honor of long-time market vendor and co-founder Maureen Madden who passed away unexpectedly early this year. Along with Taphne Taylor Collins and Carol Lundgrun, Maureen played a key role in starting the Market in 2008. She was a member of the IFM advisory committee, a tireless volunteer and the originator of the Ice Cream Social Fundraisers popular before Covid. We’ll also have a raffle with a drawing every 1/2 hour for bowls turned by Joe Reeves of pieces of oak from the timber frame! $1 each or 6 for $5.
Customers are encouraged to park on Courthouse street and the now empty Gate Center parking lot where the Market had it’s temporary home as well as the Courthouse parking lot. In addition, the VanHoys at Reins Sturdivant Funeral Home will allow customers and vendors to use their parking lot on Fridays. Please be sure to ENTER from Main Street and EXIT onto Library street. There is an easy walkway from the parking lot into Town Park highlighted in orange. If you have small kids, this allows access to the Market without crossing a busy street. The other orange arrows show the 21 and Main Street pedestrian entrances. There is no customer parking on site due to VDOT regulations.
We are excited about the return of First Friday Cooking Days with Chef Jen Cavey and the addition of a tomato pie contest to the Tomato Festival. IFM Kids Bucks return on May 24. The 1st 25 kids to the Manager tent receive $5 of IFM Kids Bucks which are able to purchase anything at the Market and are available while Grayson County Schools are closed unless the Virginia Family Nutrition Program joins us at the Market with Healthy Kids Bucks.
The Independence Farmers Market is a proud partner of Grayson LandCare, a member of VAFMA and is on the Virginia is for Lovers Farmers Market trail. The On-line and regular Friday Farmers Markets welcome Snap and EBT and offer up to a $30 match for SNAP purchases to buy fresh fruits and vegetables. This grant funding is provided by the Gus Schumaker Nutrition Incentive network and is part of the Virginia Fresh Match program. In addition, the Market welcomes WIC and Senior Farmers Market coupons.
For more information, please contact Michelle Pridgen, Market Manager at [email protected] or 276-768-0597.