Saturdays in Concord are about to get a whole lot cooler. The Concord Farmers Market and the Concord Arts Market kick off their seasonal debuts downtown this weekend, and both are bigger and better than ever.
This year, you can expect more vendors and artists, more live music, and, most importantly, more things to do with your Saturday morning besides sleeping late.
On warm summer days, nothing beats rolling out of bed and strolling downtown. You can grab a sweet with your sweetheart and sit on the State House lawn. The markets brings people to Main Street and remind us that we’re part of a community. Having the opportunity to meet the people who produce your food is a pretty special thing. The same goes for art.
So strap on your favorite sandals, grab your canvass bags and head down to where the action is (Capitol Street, if you want something to munch on; Eagle Square, if you want something pretty to take home). Here’s a little taste of what’s store this year.
For the foodies
By Amy Augustine
Insider editor
Brace yourselves, folks, ’cause we’re about to get a little fresh. It’s farmers’ market time after all, and well, we just can’t help ourselves.
When the market opens on Capitol Street this Saturday, we’re going hog wild. We’ve been dreaming of this day for a while and have a rough draft of how it’s going to go down:
We’ll start with the bakers of the bunch and grab a handful of cinnamon buns, pastries and a few fresh loaves of bread, smothered, of course, in a thick layer of freshly-churned butter and jam. Afterward, we’ll head for the rhubarb (don’t worry, we’ll to take it home to make ice cream), followed by a few handfuls of early greens – spinach and kale, most likely.
If we’re lucky, the strawberries will be ripe for pluckin’ before Saturday (fingers crossed) and if so, well, we’re sure you can guess what will happen next. Then, if it’s after 11 a.m., we’ll plop down on the State House lawn and uncork a nice bottle of New Hampshire-made wine. No need for glasses; we’re okay with chugging straight from the bottle.
It’s still early in the season, so don’t expect the market to be as well-stocked as your local supermarket. You probably know that New Hampshire doesn’t have prime growing soil for bananas or papayas, but in the coming weeks you can expect peas, radishes and beets. Fruits, tomatoes and corn will come later in the summer.
Diane Souther, co-owner of Apple Hill Farm, advises you come with an open mind and empty belly.
“Don’t come with a shopping list,” she said. “Come and be surprised.”
What’s cool about the market, which has been around since the ’70s, is that everything is grown or made within a 25-mile radius of Concord. There are a few exceptions, but it’s important that everything is local and that the vendors are the ones producing the goods, Souther said.
There’ll be nearly 40 vendors on hand this year, selling everything from wine and meats to fish and fruits. Keep your eyes peeled for the four newcomers to the lineup: Chase’s Country Corner store in Weare will be offering jams and jellies; Megan’s Chocolates, also in Weare, will tempt passersby with its fresh-baked chocolates and cookies; Huckins Farm in Hebron will be there with veggies and pasture-raised poultry; and Canterbury’s own Granite Ledge Coffee will supply fresh-roasted java beans.
Find the Concord Farmers’ Market on: Capitol Street
Details: The market is open on Saturdays, 8 a.m. to noon, from June 5 – Oct. 30.
For more information, contact diane@applehillfarm.com.
For the art lovers
By Cassie Pappathan
Insider staff
If the Concord Arts Market were a sitcom character, it would undoubtedly be The Fonz. But rather than wearing a black leather jacket, it would wear funky handmade jewelry. And instead of saying “Aaaaayyy!” it would say, “Aaaayyy . . . care to check out my collection of ceramics?”
After all, the market’s slogan is “Concord got cool when you weren’t looking.”
On Saturday, the market will kick off its third year in style. Like years past, expect to see a varied group of vendors. Items for sale include quirky photography by Gail Rousseau (a woman who devoted an entire series to a Strawberry Shortcake doll), wood-fired pottery by Wiley Hill Mudworks, pretty fabric bags from Red Staggerwing Designs and so much more.
Look forward to a few new things, too. For starters, the market has a new home – sorta. Marketgoers may remember that last year’s season began at the corner of Green and Capitol streets and eventually migrated to Eagle Square. This year, it’s keeping its nest in Eagle Square.
Another highlight to look out for: You’re likely to see a lot more toe-tapping and booty-shakin’ while you’re shopping. Music has been part of the arts market since its inception, but it will now have an even stronger presence, thanks to music coordinator, Scott Solsky. This weekend, groove to traditional West African drumming by Araba-Lon.
Arts market founder and organizer Katy Brown is particularly psyched about continuing to incorporate the works of local refugees.
“Some of their handcrafts are really unique to their country and locale they came from,” Katy told us last week. “I’m really excited to welcome them to the community this way.”
Be sure to check the market’s website for even more Saturday fun. Katy’s planning on keeping it updated with a music schedule and a list of participating artists.
Katy, you’ve done Arthur Fonzarelli proud.
Find the Concord Arts Market at: Eagle Square
On the web: concordartsmarket.com
Unless otherwise noted on the website, the market will be held on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., June 5 through July 31 and Sept. 11 through Oct. 30.
Something new: Penacook is getting in on the action, too!
By Amy Augustine
Insider editor
Beginning June 21, the Rolfe House on Penacook Street (next to the Morrill farm) will host its own farmers market on Monday nights.
Come between 4:30 and 7 p.m. to find a mix of fruits, flowers, herbs, plants and meat. A bluegrass band is slated to play opening night.
Mike Cotton, media director of the Penacook Village Association, said the plan has been taking shape for a few years but is finally getting off the ground.
“Right now it looks like we’ll have anywhere from six to nine vendors,” Cotton told us last week. “We’re not trying to compete with Concord. We just wanted something a bit more local.”
Vendors interested in participating are welcome to e-mail Mike at mdcotton@comcast.net.
