Jason Sandford
Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.
Nice Mountain Xpress story here about the newest addition to the wonderful tailgate market scene here in Ashvegas. This weekend marks the opening of the new City Market downtown. Check it out:
Before the morning chill disappears from the air this Saturday, while some of us are still sweetly dreaming, farmers will unfurl their shade tents and set out their tender spring harvests. Bakers will assemble racks and pile them with fragrant loaves, fresh from the oven. Cheese makers will graciously uncover samples of their most delicate and striking varieties. Crafters will prop up their works of art, and musicians will fill the air with festive sounds.
Get ready to add a new outing to your weekly to-do list: This Saturday, April 19, will see the opening of the Asheville City Market, at the corner of Eagle and South Charlotte streets downtown. The market will be an attraction for locals and visitors alike, a place to see and be seen, a vibrant weekly happening.
New tailgate market: The Asheville City Market opens for business April 19.
“The market is restricted to producer-only vendors,” says manager Mike McCreary, “meaning that whoever is handing you a product—whether it’s a muffin, cheese, produce or a piece of handcrafted clothing—that hand had something to do with producing that product.”
The market will also draw producers from a fairly restricted area, generally within 60 miles of Asheville. All of this seeks to ensure that the products offered are as fresh as possible and that the benefits of selling at the market accrue directly to the small farmers and artisans of neighboring counties.
It also means customers will have the pleasure of meeting those producers.
The Asheville City Market has been in the planning stages for nearly two-and-a-half years. Alan Salmon of Wildwood Herbal in Weaverville, who’ll be selling his produce and perennial flower starts, has served on the Planning Committee during that time. And the idea for the market, he says, goes back further still.
