Vehicular traffic will disappear from Bank Street, at least for a few hours, during the opening of the Peekskill Farmers Market on June 7. As with every year, the community space will be set up every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The market, which has become a city tradition, will remain open for 26 consecutive weeks.
More than 30 vendors gather in the area stretching from Main Street to Park Street, where organically grown agricultural products, prepared foods, and crafts are offered. All of these items are produced by local entrepreneurs or from nearby towns.
According to the organizers, the market enjoys strong support from Peekskill residents. On average, between 600 and 1,000 people visited the site each Saturday last year, where most products are fresh, natural, and handmade. Some family farms offer fruits, vegetables, eggs, honey, herbs, cheeses, and grass-fed beef and pork. There are also booths selling homemade baked goods, jams, seafood, flowers, soaps, and artisanal candles, as well as healthy beverages and homemade meals.
The initiative is organized by the Peekskill Business Improvement District (BID), which provides space for producers and artisans from the region to grow their businesses. Although commerce is the main goal of the market, cultural activities and community services are also held there.
During the season, which ends November 22, adjacent activities such as live music and family workshops are announced on the market’s website. For Adela Ortiz, a local resident, the Peekskill Farmers Market is the ideal place to find natural foods at good prices. “I like it because the farmers’ food is free from preservatives and chemicals. There is a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, and the people are very friendly,” she explains.
A mother of four girls, Ortiz’s favorite product is honey. She is certain it is pure and uses it to sweeten the fruit salads her daughters eat for breakfast. Another aspect she appreciates about the market is that it accepts payments with EBT/SNAP (federal benefits that help low-income families purchase food).
For more information about vendors, sponsors, or activities, interested parties can contact the organizers through their website.
