SARATOGA SPRINGS—This Saturday, November 2, Saratoga Farmers’ Market will open at the historic Lincoln Baths building in the Saratoga Spa State Park. The market will be open every week on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. through April.
As an incentive for customers to fully explore the new winter home of the market, there will be a photo contest and weekly giveaways during the first three weeks of November at this new location. The Lincoln Baths is located at 65 South Broadway in Saratoga Springs, near the Route 9 main entrance to the park.
The Saratoga Farmers’ Market Association worked with leaders at the Saratoga Spa State Park and New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation to accommodate the weekly winter market which was previously held at the Division Street Elementary School.
“We look forward to welcoming our customers to the market’s new winter location. Given the beauty of the State Park and the elegance of the Lincoln Baths building, the photo contest will engage customers in capturing the rich colors and sights of the market in combination with the distinctive architecture,” notes Charles Holub, president of Saratoga Farmers’ Market Association.
Details about the photo contest will be available at the first market session and at www.saratogafarmersmarket.org beginning November 1. The photographers taking the top three winning photos will each receive a $20 market gift certificate.
The market will also be holding weekly drawings for giveaways. The prize boxes will be placed on both the first and second floors, to encourage customers to explore all that the market has to offer. Prizes for the drawing will include market merchandise and vendor products.
Each year from November through April on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., the Saratoga Farmers’ Market hosts farms and vendors selling a full range of locally grown and produced items. Dozens of vendors at the new market location will sell produce, meat, fish, dairy, eggs, baked goods, prepared foods, décor and gift items in approximately 7,000 square feet of space on two levels. An elevator is available and the building is handicap-accessible.
Saratoga Farmers’ Market Association, which is marking its 35th anniversary in 2013, maintains a “producer-only” standard for all of its markets, requiring its members to grow or produce their goods in Saratoga, Schenectady, Rensselaer or Washington counties to ensure that products are fresh, unique and not purchased for re-sale. The market makes a few exceptions to this rule for foods not available locally, including fresh fish and mushrooms. By adhering to this standard, the market ensures that sales provide economic, ecological and social support to local communities.
