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The Lubbock Downtown Farmers Market, the original and still the best market for locally grown produce returns to downtown Lubbock on Saturday May 27th from 9:00 Am to 1:00 PM and every Saturday through October 14th.
Visit the Lubbock Downtown Farmers Market this Saturday, July 20th at the LHUCA PLAZA (5th St & Ave J) from 9:00AM to 1:00PM for a taste of downtown Lubbock, and the finest in local produce, meat, baked goods and arts. We are a kid friendly, dog friendly, family event in the heart of the Downtown Arts District. Be sure to say “Thank You” to our hard-working and dedicated vendors!
Market Review July 13 2024
By Paul Bullock & Mary Gates
Mary and I are on the road visiting her niece in Estes Park, Colorado. Our Market manager Chuck suggested that we attend a Farmers Market on our trip and do a review. Great idea, Chuck! Estes Park is nestled in a beautiful valley surrounded by high mountain peaks that still have a little snow on their tops. We were able to attend a Thursday morning market here. First of all, we have NEVER had a gang of elk cross the road on our way to the Lubbock Market! We found the Estes Valley Farmers Market at the Visitor Center in this magnificent scenic area. The Market starts at 8:00 am and ends at 1:00 pm. When we arrived at 9:30 it was packed with people and traffic searching for a spot to park.
The Market is set up on the Visitors Center parking lot and accommodates around 35 vendor tents. The Big Thompson River runs along the area and features a beautiful river walk that is filled with shops and restaurants. We spoke to one of the founders who told us that he and one other vendor started the Market 28 years ago. Their Market runs from June through September and is every Thursday come rain, snow or shine according the their advertisements. It seemed a little strange to have a Thursday Market, but being a tourist destination it is busy all the time here. Mary and I started our time at the Market looking for gifts for her great niece. I noticed a large pastry vendor so that’s where we parted ways. We found each other again at a very large produce vendor with Mary buying tomatoes, and peaches while I went straight to the cherries.
Our two Markets have many of the same things: produce, pastries, salsas, pickled goods, kettle corn, coffee and meats, just to mention a few. Our Market greatly outpaced the Estes Market when it comes to arts and crafts. Our Market has soaps, lotions, candles, jewelry, woodcrafts, and much more, whereas Estes Valley Market was very limited in these items. They do have a seagrass hat vendor, a basket weaver, and a homemade Kimchi seller. There were a couple of food vendors, but no food trucks! The vibe was much the same with lots of conversation between shoppers and vendors and friendly faces. One man wearing a Notre Dame shirt saw my Texas Tech shirt and gave me a guns up. We had a nice sports talk!
And of course what would a farmers market be without dogs. There were plenty of dogs at the Estes Valley Market, which leads into our weekly award for Tornado Industrial/Arts Dog of the Day. Mary and I were not at the Lubbock Market but Ellie was and she took home a red bandana declaring her Dog of the Day! Great Job Ellie.
Mary and I left with a lot of produce, and I got a cherry and apple strudel which I consumed before morning’s end. All in all, Markets share much of the same. It is always a fun experience visiting Markets in other towns. I am glad we went and that Chuck suggested this review. Mary and I will be back for the Lubbock Downtown Farmers Market next Saturday and hope to see you there….oh, by the way, Estes Valley Market does NOT have a wizard selling children’s books….but we do! Come out to LHUCA Plaza from 9:00 to 1:00 at 5th and Ave. J. and see what our Market has to offer.
