LEAP’s West End Farmers Market, a fixture on Patterson Avenue since 2010, will be moving down the street, from 1210 Patterson Ave. SW to 1027 Patterson Ave. SW.
Along with this move, the market will expand from a few dedicated vendors to a larger footprint that can accommodate more farmers and food producers. This season, 10 vendors have signed up for weekly or biweekly selling. West End Farmers Market is on a path to grow into a hearty mid-week market.
A bit of West End Farmers Market history: In 2010, the year following the successful launch of the Grandin Village Farmers Market, organizers worked with West End neighbors to set up a mid-week farmers market inside the shuttered Villa Sorrento restaurant, then located at 1210 Patterson Ave. Tables of farmers and food producers lined the walls of what was once a beloved dining room, adorned with beautifully painted murals of Italy. When the restaurant was torn down to make way for Freedom First Credit Union’s West End branch and the LEAP Kitchen, the market moved across the street into a West End Center for Youth building — sometimes spilling out into its parking lot. Once the West End Community Room and pavilion were built, the market returned.
Over the years, the West End Farmers Market developed a dedicated following, from community partners such as TAP and Community Youth Program, as well as West End neighbors and Grandin Village Farmers Market fans. During the height of COVID shutdowns, West End Farmers Market briefly served as a contactless pickup location for local food. It remains the pickup location for LEAP Online Marketplace orders and one of four pickup locations for LEAP Farm Shares.
On Tuesday, May 2, the West End Farmers Market will move to an open space beside The LEAP Hub, a building recently renovated by LEAP, a 501c3 nonprofit dedicated to creating an equitable food and farming system which prioritizes health and abundance by supporting community initiatives, markets, farms, and farmers.
Vendors who have committed to selling at the West End Farmers Market this season include: Garden Variety Harvests, Fields Edge Farm, Rivenwood Gardens, Field Day Juice Club, Fermented Fire Hot Sauce Company, Blacksburg Bagels, Peace & Harmony Farm, and Giggles food truck.
The West End Farmers Market is open every Tuesday, from 3 to 6 pm, year round, rain or shine. The West End Farmers Market doubles the value of purchases made by recipients of SNAP, Medicaid, and WIC. Customers let the market manager know they’d like to participate in LEAP’s match programs. For every dollar a shopper spends (via EBT, cash, check, debit, or credit), they receive a dollar in free fruits and vegetables. Find more information about the West End Farmers Market here.
The big LEAP event on the horizon:
On Saturday, June 3 from 3 to 6 pm, LEAP is hosting an Open House for The LEAP Hub. At this celebration, enjoy a local food business popup, music, games, tours of The LEAP Hub, crafts, and more. This event is open to the public and they’re expecting a big celebration!
