North Union Farmers Market back in season at Shaker Square this Saturday (April 6)

Opening its 29th season of "Fresh & Local" every Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon. The North Union Farmers Market, known for its "certified producer only" menu and stock from Northeast Ohio farms, is set to return to Shaker Square for its 29th season. The outdoor market will open from 8 a.m. to noon with about 25 vendors, with the numbers expected to reach 80 over summer. The inaugural edition will feature live music from local band Gruve Tonic and prepared foods from Edwins Leadership Academy and Restaurant Institute. The market has grown to nine venues and will open again in the summer due to construction.

Published : a month ago by Thomas Jewell | [email protected], Thomas Jewell, tjewell in Lifestyle

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The North Union Farmers Market makes its return to Shaker Square and the great outdoors this Saturday for its 29th season of “Fresh & Local.”

In recent years, the original market -- known for its “certified producer only” menu and stock from favorite Northeast Ohio farms -- has moved to the Van AkenDistrict’s Market Hall in Shaker Heights during the winter months.

“After Shaker Square got a new tenant for our winter space, the Van Aken District was gracious enough to open its doors to us,” noted North Union Farmers Market Director of Communications Emma Visnic of Shaker Heights.

The outdoor market expects to open Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon starting with about 25 vendors, although those numbers are expected to reach 80 over the summer.

“We’ll be opening this year with our ‘favorite farms’ items, fresh-cut spring flowers, greens -- both field-grown and hydroponic -- local greenhouses with bedding plants for ground cover as well as hanging baskets, meats, vegetables, organic grains and mushrooms, to name a few,” Visnic said.

Prepared foods will also be on hand, including breakfast pizza from Edwins Leadership Academy and Restaurant Institute, in addition to baked goods and fresh cuts from Edwins’ butcher shop.

Other crowd favorites are Big Mouth Donuts, based in Bay Village and Rocky River.

This season’s inaugural edition will also kick off with live music from the local band Gruve Tonic, who will start about 8:30 a.m. and continue playing throughout the majority of the day.

Executive Director Donita Anderson founded the Farmers Market at Shaker Square in 1995, wanting to tie it in Northeast Ohio’s historical connection to the North Union Shakers, who settled in the immediate area.

It has since grown to nine different venues, although the Thursday “Sunset Market” in the Van Aken District will be on hiatus until 2025 due to construction.

Meanwhile, back at Shaker Square, the stretch of Shaker Boulevard across the length of the square will be closed off until shortly after noon, but the circular connector streets will remain open, with free parking meters until 10 a.m.

Free parking is also available in the CVS surface lot off North Moreland Boulevard as well as the Dave’s Market overflow lot.

Representatives from Cleveland Neighborhood Progress, one of the partnering nonprofit owners of Shaker Square, along with Burten Bell Carr Development, will be talking to the public and circulating surveys for community input on a vision for the future, with a comprehensive strategic plan in its early phases.

“We will have a lot of new vendors for the extended season,” Visnic said. “And we’re excited to have everyone else back and to be outside again at Shaker Square.”