Ruston Farmers Market 9th Season, now in New Location

The Ruston Farmers Market will celebrate its ninth season when it opens on Saturday, May 7, from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. in a covered, open-air building at 220 East Mississippi Avenue in downtown Ruston.
 
The market that day will feature its usual diverse selection of goods including local produce, plants, herbs, honey, baked goods, locally roasted coffee, prepared foods, sauces, locally produced body and bath products, kettle corn, kids art activities, and arts and crafts from local artisans. Rick Godley of The Peach 99.3 radio will be playing music and 4 Paws will have pets up for adoption. Mayor Ronny Walker will ring the opening bell at 8:00 a.m.
 
This year Ruston Farmers Market moves to its new home – a covered open-air facility at 220 E. Mississippi Ave. The building, a former City of Ruston warehouse, has been freshened and opened up and includes an outdoor sitting area with a stage, ADA-compliant restrooms, and a mural designed and painted by Louisiana Tech’s Mural Art class.
 
This season the market will offer a Loyalty Program for frequent shoppers. The second Saturday of each month will be Cooking Demo Day when local chefs will demonstrate how to prepare market produce. Every Saturday the North Central Louisiana Arts Council will sponsor arts activities for children. There will be a food preservation demonstration by a Master Canner in June. The annual Taste of Summer Festival will be held in July.
 
The market accepts EBT/Louisiana Purchase cards and, through its Double Bucks program funded by Lincoln Health Foundation, will match up to $10 of eligible purchases per market day. Its Grow Your SNAP program will match up to $5 on purchases of eligible plants and seeds.
 
Ruston Farmers Market in conjunction with the Ruston Lincoln Chamber of Commerce will hold a ribbon cutting ceremony on June 4 with local celebrities in attendance, music by the Back Forty band, a giveaway of canning equipment after a food preservation demo, and a raffle drawing.
 
Check out www.rustonfarmersmarket.org for the latest information and to sign up for a weekly email newsletter. Ruston Farmers Market is also found on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
 
For more information on the Ruston Farmers Market, visit www.rustonfarmersmarket.org.
 
Contacts: info@rustonfarmersmarket.org;
         Jean McWeeney, 318-255-9175, jmcweeney@suddenlink.net