Aspen Saturday Market ripe for weekend debut
26th annual community event kicks off summer season
The unofficial kickoff to summer in Aspen begins this weekend with the 26th annual Saturday Farmers Market firing up for the season.
The three-block, U-shaped outdoor market that extends from Hopkins Avenue to Hunter Street and Hyman Avenue will feature 80 vendors this year, according to Kathy Strickland, the market’s manager for the past two decades.
There will be 20 agricultural and food vendors, with the rest being artisans.
The layout and feel of the market will be similar to last year, which had abandoned most of the restrictions that were required in 2020 due to the pandemic.
The food court in Conner Park near the old City Hall will return with the same vendors offering sausage, gyros and doughnuts, along with adoptable puppies and dogs through the Aspen Animal Shelter and a massage chair under the big tree.
There are new vendors this year that feature fresh pasta, granola, gluten-free baked goods, T-shirts that can be designed with markers, photography, and handmade crochet items, to name a few.
“We have a lovely mix this year,” Strickland said.
Music students will play their instruments on both Hopkins and Hyman avenues but there will be no band due to the absence of electricity hookups.
The city’s commercial core and lodging commission decided in January which vendors can be part of the Aspen market, and the selections are based on strict criteria, according to Strickland. Only Colorado made, grown and produced items are allowed.
The Aspen Saturday Market was approved by City Council in 1998 and at the time, only agricultural vendors were allowed. Artisans were brought in a few years later.
The former City Hall is closed and therefore there are no bathrooms near the venue; the closest ones are at Wagner Park, Strickland said.
The market runs from June 11 to Oct. 8 and is open from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Starting Sept. 10, the hours change to 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
For a list of this year’s vendors, go to https://www.cityofaspen.com/180/Aspen-Saturday-Market.
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