Statesboro Main Street Farmers Market opens 9 a.m. Saturday for the 2025 season at the Market at Visit Statesboro on South Main St., with 67 vendors signed up.
It is the fourth year the Market has operated in and around the building that was redesigned especially for it, located directly behind the Visitors Center.
"It’s a busy and fun environment where you get to interact with the actual business owners and families who grow your produce, bake your bread and handcraft the mugs you drink your coffee from,” said Kelsie Cobb, Farmers Market manager. “We are so excited for the new vendors and ideas coming to the market this year."
Opening day in April 2024 brought a record crowd, when an estimated 2,600 shoppers attended the market, topping 2023’s mark of 2,400 coming out on the first day, said Becky Sanders, president and CEO of the Statesboro Convention and Visitors Bureau, also known as Visit Statesboro.
“Opening day is always special, and we can’t wait to welcome everyone,” Sanders said. “This is our fourth year managing the Saturday Market and we have an excited, energetic team ready to make this season the best ever!”
Of the 67 vendors signed up included 12 farmers, 21 prepared food vendors, 28 artisans and six educational exhibitors.
Sanders said Queensborough Bank is sponsoring the Power of Produce Program, or POP Program, that organizes children’s activities where they earn POP Bucks they can spend with produce/whole foods vendors at the Market. Volunteers from the bank will offer the program once a month starting Saturday, Sanders said.
To name a few vendors, the farms represented will not only include vegetable growers such as Jacobs Produce and Poor Robin Gardens, both from Screven County, but also at least one grower of fresh flowers, WilMor Farms, based in Candler County. Meat producers signed up now include Hazelnut Pastures, as well as perennial participant Hunter Cattle Company, both based here in Bulloch County, and possibly others.
Sugar Magnolia and Caribbean Feast will have food trucks and the Three Tree Coffee Trolley, will be at the Market.
Parking
While the Visitors Center has a limited number of parking spaces, parking also is available at nearby locations, including the Statesboro-Bulloch County Library, Southern Palace Chinese Restaurant, Personal Finance Service of Statesboro and Queensborough National Bank & Trust. The adjacent Willie McTell Trail provides walking and bicycling access from the center of downtown in one direction and the Georgia Southern campus in the other.
The Farmers Market is open 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and will continue for 34 Saturdays, through Nov. 22, followed by Shopping by Lantern Light on Tuesday, Nov. 25, the traditional, evening holiday market before Thanksgiving.
Statesboro Main Street Farmers Market also hosts the year-round Market2Go, managed by Michele Giddens, with Friday to Tuesday online ordering for Thursday pickup hours now available at locations in Pembroke and Sylvania as well as on the grounds of the Market at Visit Statesboro. For more info, see https://statesboromarket2go.locallygrown.net or www.visitstatesboro.org/farmers-market
