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First farmers market of the summer a ‘must-go for locals’

Shade provided some relief at Steamboat Springs Main Street Farmers Market during a sunny weekend in 2018. The summer tradition kicks off the 2022 season on Saturday, June 11.
Katie Berning/Steamboat Pilot & Today archive

The first Main Street Steamboat Farmers Market of the year will kick off at 9 a.m. on Saturday, June 11, running until 2 p.m. on Yampa Street between Fifth and Eighth streets.

Roughly 135 vendors and organizations will line the street, selling fresh produce, artisan products, packaged goods, jewelry and more every Saturday through Sept. 24.

According to Lisa Popovich, executive director of Main Street Steamboat, the market will include the familiar features and vendors of past years with a few new additions. She said there will be a specific area for eating in the parking lot on Yampa, where music will also be played.



A new section of the market called the Western Welcome Center will be located up Seventh Street, Popovich explained. Community groups, nonprofits and Steamboat Springs City Council representatives will be there every Saturday.

“It will be a place where people who are new and old to the community can go and interact with different nonprofits,” Popovich said. “It’ll be a great way to connect the community to these services that are available that a lot of people aren’t aware of.”



Popovich said that there will be new vendors, such as Rich Brownies and Taste: Sweet and Savory. She added that several retailers who have since opened brick and mortar storefronts, like Inclusions Bakery and Dessert Bar and Adorn, will continue selling products at the market throughout the summer.

The first farmers market was in 2006 on the courthouse lawn, according to Popovich, and there were six vendors. Marie Winter, owner of the jewelry brand Northern Lights, was one of those original vendors in 2006 and she has participated every year since.

“It’s wonderful,” she said. “People go absolutely crazy at the booth.”

If you go

What: Main Street Steamboat Farmers Market

When: 9 a.m – 2 p.m., Saturdays, June 11 – Sept. 24, 2022

Where: Yampa Street between Fifth and Eighth Streets

She said she was excited for the first market of the summer not only for the opportunity to sell her jewelry and vegan handbags, but also for the opportunity to check up with other locals.

“It’s just as much of a social event for me as a business,” Winter said. “I’m just excited to see everybody. We don’t see a lot of people all winter long.”

Winter calls it a “community market” because of the opportunity to mingle with other vendors and residents.

“The kickoff to the farmers market has really turned into a must-do for locals,” she added.

Christopher Poole, owner of Steamboat Salt Co., echoed Winter’s excitement.

“We’re getting pretty jazzed to see everybody from the last couple of years, and we have a lot of returning customers too,” Poole said.

Poole started Steamboat Salt Co. with his wife in 2017, and has participated in the Steamboat market ever since. Poole said they sell nine specialty salts, ranging from “El Jefe” garlic habanero salt to their “Honey Lavender” salt.

“We are a true family-run local business,” said Poole. “We do everything ourselves, and then we try to offer fun, exciting flavors.”

They will be selling eight of their nine flavors this Saturday.

“We’re really excited for the start of market season,” said Sydney Ellbogen, who runs Mountain Bluebird Farm in Hayden with her husband Noah Price.

Customers shop for produce from Eat a Peach Farms at the Main Street Steamboat Springs Farmers Market in 2020.
Steamboat Pilot & Today file photo

They will be selling tomatoes, flowers and other garden plants this weekend, and look forward to growing and selling different produce as the summer goes on.

“Our booth is going to be bigger this year, so we have a lot to offer,” Ellbogen said.

Popovich added that patrons should remember to bring their reusable bags to Yampa Street this Saturday, and that folks planning on buying more groceries should bring a collapsible wagon if possible.

“If people need help getting their purchases from the market to their car, they just look for anyone in the yellow shirt,” Popovich said.

There will also be handicap parking on Sixth Street, which will be marked with signs.

She added that with the hot pavement and crowds that will be on Yampa this Saturday, residents should be careful about bringing their dogs.

“We just want people to be extra thoughtful about bringing their canine friends down,” she said. “The pavement gets very hot for their paws.”

Popovich said she was looking forward to starting off the farmers market season for 2022.

“This is one of my very favorite days of the year. It is solid fun,” Popovich said. “I hope I see everybody this weekend.”


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